In a 100% vote, Patina Group employees who work at restaurants in the Italy pavilion at EPCOT called on Disney to no longer offer Patina new business.

Patina Group

“We call on Disney: no more new business for Patina Group,” said Jennifer Quiñónez, a Patina worker. “If these restaurants in Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom are reopening, Disney shouldn’t give the business to Patina.”

The workers pointed to the closures of Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano and PizzeRizzo at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as Restaurantosaurus in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. All are expected to be reimagined into new restaurants but Disney has not announced details, including whether or not they would operate the restaurants or contract a group like Patina.

Patina Group describes itself as Disney’s “largest operating partner” and Chief Operating Officer Seth Rose has said, “We work with Disney on new business development.”

UNITE HERE Local 737 said in a statement, “Patina workers have been fighting for months to improve the jobs at their restaurants. But they are still left with second-class wages, second-class retirement, and second-class jobs.”

After unionizing in 2024, Patina Group employees filed a formal complaint to The Walt Disney Company against Patina last year. In December, approximately 200 workers held a rally and march to demand a good life.

Patina Group operates Tutto Italia, Tutto Gusto, and Via Napoli in EPCOT, as well as multiple Disney Springs restaurants.

Workers have made public an incident where a Patina manager allegedly pushed a union organizer. They circulated a petition calling on Patina to reinstate an employee who was fired after reporting sexual harassment by her supervisor.

“We are tired of working second-class jobs,” said Jennifer. “We serve the same guests as Disney employees. People come to our restaurants because they are at EPCOT for a day at Disney. On one side of us is the Germany pavilion, and on the other side is The American Adventure pavilion. But Patina doesn’t run those pavilions — Disney does. That means that at restaurants there, a Cook 1 makes over $2 an hour more than a Patina cook doing the same job does. In October, the Disney cook will get another raise and they will make $3.47 more an hour than the Patina cook. That money adds up fast. After a month of 40-hour weeks, a Patina cook who works for those second-class Patina wages will have earned $555 less than the Disney cook. After a year, the Patina cook will have earned $7,217 less. And the whole time, the two cooks will have been cooking food for the same guests exploring EPCOT.”

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.