We tried the Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich at the SeaWorld Orlando Altitude Burgers quick-service restaurant and share an honest verdict on taste, texture, and value. So, after a fryer outage foiled our last attempt, we went back to try the Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich at SeaWorld Orlando’s Altitude Burgers.

Altitude Burgers doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation among SeaWorld Orlando guests. Ask around and you’ll hear the same complaints on repeat: food arriving lukewarm, prices that sting even by theme park standards, and a menu that leans hard on the “build a giant burger” gimmick rather than consistent execution. We’ve had our own uneven visits over the years.

Still, give credit where it’s due. When Altitude Burgers put a Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich with Thai chili sauce and coleslaw on the menu, it was at least an attempt at something beyond the standard theme park burger-and-fries routine. We wanted to give it a fair shot, and it took us a few tries to actually pull it off.

Altitude Burgers at SeaWorld Orlando

Located near Orca Encounter and the Ice Breaker coaster, Altitude Burgers serves as a quick-service dining basecamp for SeaWorld Orlando guests looking to refuel. Designed around an Arctic expedition theme, the restaurant replaced the former Mango Joe’s to align with the surrounding thrill-ride aesthetic.

Altitude Burgers is a popular stop for park-goers using SeaWorld’s All-Day Dining Deal, which includes select entrees, sides, and beverages. With both indoor ordering lines and outdoor shaded seating, it offers a convenient spot to grab a hearty bite between rides and stadium shows.

Additionally, Altitude Burgers goes against the grain regarding common dining options at SeaWorld Orlando. The default setting for quick-service dining is chicken. Think chicken sandwiches and chicken tenders. Only Altitude Burgers and Lakeside Grill (when it is open) sell burgers at SeaWorld Orlando. We have ordered those before with mixed results.

Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich Attempt One: Foiled by the Fryers

During our many visits to SeaWorld Orlando to dine, we have considered ordering this sandwich a few times. However, it never worked out

Last month, we made a special trip to Altitude Burgers with this sandwich specifically in mind. No luck. The fryers used to cook the chicken were down for the entire day, which meant the Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich (along with anything else that needed frying) simply wasn’t available. We left without so much as a bite, chalking it up to one of those theme park quick service hiccups that happens more often than parks would like to admit.

Nonetheless, on that day, we ordered the Turkey Cobb Salad. For the record, we enjoyed that option but still wanted to try the Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich at Altitude Burgers.

Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich Attempt Two: False Start

This time, we were ready. We had our All-Day Dining Plan code in hand. For this attempt, we arrived a few minutes before Altitude Burgers was scheduled to open. We waited until opening time and attempted to enter for the Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich. The door was locked. We cried a bit inside. We saw people working to get things ready. Also, they saw our group. However, the All-Day Dining Plan timer was ticking. After seven minutes of waiting, we bailed on that plan and went to dine at Voyager’s Smokehouse.

Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich Attempt Three: Mission Accomplished, Mildly

This visit, the fryers were cooperating, and we finally got our hands on the sandwich we’d been chasing. The verdict is not going to shock anyone who has eaten at a theme park counter service window before: it’s fine. Just fine.

However, we visited Altitude Burgers at a bad time…at least in terms of waiting. The Orca show had gotten out a few minutes before we arrived at Altitude Burgers. This led to a longer wait than most guests would prefer. Still, we finally got the Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich.

Also, since one of the additional side choices with the All-Day Dining plan is onion rings, we went for it. Yes, in addition to a fried chicken patty and fries, we added onion rings. Please do not tell our doctor or personal trainer! By the way, the onion rings taste just like you would expect them to at a place built around frying stuff.

How Was the Chicken Inside the Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich?

The chicken itself is exactly what you’d expect from a theme park quick-service kitchen, no more and no less. It’s not dry, it’s not falling apart, it’s just standard fried chicken doing standard fried chicken things. The Thai chili sauce and coleslaw both taste perfectly acceptable on their own. Still, together they read less like a thoughtfully built flavor combination and more like toppings someone decided would work fine on a chicken sandwich, so why not. Nothing clashes, but nothing sings either. In fairness, we really liked the Thai chili sauce. Yet, many guests may not find it appealing, and it ups the potential mess factor exponentially.

The bun is where things wobble a bit more literally. It struggles to hold everything together by the time you’re a few bites in, which is a common theme park sandwich problem. Still, it’s notable one here given how wet the coleslaw and sauce combination gets. So, the potential mess factor is high! We had to finish this sandwich with a fork and knife.

The fries were standard United Parks fries. They arrived warm, which is a plus. Still, they failed to wow us.

The Price Tag (and Why It’s Not Really Altitude Burgers’ Fault)

At $19.49 (before discounts or dining plan usage), the Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich is priced like most things at Altitude Burgers: high, even accounting for theme park inflation. Still, this isn’t really an Altitude Burgers problem so much as a SeaWorld Orlando problem. Menu prices across the park’s quick service spots are set with the assumption that guests will spring for the All-Day Dining Plan, priced at $59.99 for the day (with discounts available depending on how you book). Once you factor that in, the eat-until-you-drop math starts to make more sense, even if à la carte pricing still stings for guests skipping the dining plan.

Altitude Burgers Menu (Entrees)

All burgers come with lettuce, tomato, pickles, Altitude Burger Sauce, and fries.

• Smash Burger — $18.99
• Smash Burger with Cheese — $19.99
• The Smash Burger with Bacon — $20.79
• Double Patty Smash Burger — $22.29
• Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich — $19.49

Specialty Burgers

• Smokehouse Stack — $24.99
  • Smash burger with bacon and BBQ Sauce
• Bacon & Burger — $23.49
  • Smash burger with Blue Cheese Sauce and Bacon

Salads

• Turkey Cobb Salad — $17.99

Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich Review

The Crispy Thai Chili Chicken Sandwich is a swing at something different for Altitude Burgers, and we’ll always take a swing over another interchangeable burger. It just doesn’t land anywhere memorable. If you’re already committed to the All-Day Dining Plan and want a change of pace from the usual quick service suspects, it’s a reasonable option. If you’re paying out of pocket at nearly $20, we’d steer you towards the Turkey Cobb Salad instead.

Additional SeaWorld Orlando Reviews

• Carne Asada Tacos
• Teriyaki Chicken at Expedition Cafe
• Bacon Avocado Chicken Sandwich at Seafire Grill
• Sofrito Chicken at Waterway Grill
• Slow Roasted Pork at Waterway Grill
• Sharks Underwater Grill
• Caprese Panini at Panini Shores Cafe

For more theme park dining reviews, visit MSM News every weekday at noon Eastern Time. Additionally, we sometimes post bonus theme park dining reviews. As always, eat like you mean it!

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