Not Disney, Not Universal: This Pennsylvania Destination Has The Best Amusement Park Restaurant In 2026

When you're planning a theme park vacation, food might not be top of mind. For many visitors, the focus is on rides and attractions rather than what's on the menu. Still, some parks have impressive dining options. In 2026, the best amusement park restaurant isn't at Disney or Universal — it's at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. According to the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, the top honor for Best Theme Park Restaurant went to Alamo Restaurant at Knoebels. The restaurant has also taken first place in 2025, 2024, and 2023.

If you're not familiar with Knoebels, the park has operated since 1926 and is widely known as the largest free-admission amusement park in the United States, and hosts the country's best theme park Halloween event. Guests pay per ride, but parking, entertainment, and picnic facilities are free, and there's no entrance gate fee. While Knoebels offers a wide range of dining options, including barbecue, ice cream, and an international food court, Alamo has emerged as its standout dining destination. One reviewer on TripAdvisor raves, "We love the Turkey dinner ...so much food I can get 2 meals out of it! Oh and the best stuffing!!!" A reviewer on Google says, "I was pleasantly surprised with the amazing food at the reasonable prices." 

Around the restaurant, you'll find murals showing the history of the Alamo in Texas, and a sign outside that says the current building, built between 1948 and 1949, is on the same spot as the original 1926 restaurant. There is a service window in the front of the building where you can get some items, or you can go inside and sit down in the wood-paneled dining area, with lots of seating and a charming, pioneer feel.

Taste and affordability at Alamo stand out in comparison to the better-known theme parks. Knoebels itself has long been recognized for its food and has frequently earned top honors in the Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards, including multiple wins for Best Food in recent decades — 22 wins in the last 25 years, in fact. One factor highlighted by the 10Best listing is affordability. Many Alamo menu items — including chicken finger baskets, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and cheesesteaks — are priced under $11, with a kids' grilled hot dog and fries around $6.50 at the time of writing. 

The restaurant offers more elevated dishes, such as crab cakes, broiled sea scallops, chicken and waffles, and broiled salmon. Vegetarian options include a plant-based chik'n basket, a veggie wrap, and dishes featuring breaded portobello mushrooms. To mark Knoebels' centennial, the menu has also featured themed items like the 1926 Cobb salad and a founders chop sirloin. The highest dish price at Alamo is $17.50 at the time of this writing, though most dishes are closer to the $11 mark, with sides around $4, and sandwiches below $9. 

In contrast, the average food price per person at a Walt Disney World table-service restaurant is $59, and $55 at Disneyland, with higher costs at deluxe restaurants. Universal Orlando increased food and beverage prices in 2025 in anticipation of the Epic Universe debut. At the moment, the entrées at the Harry Potter-themed Leaky Cauldron at Universal Orlando average around $19.99. Finally, while you're at Knoebels — which has also appeared on the 10Best list of top theme parks – don't miss the Phoenix roller coaster, which has been voted the best wooden roller coaster in the world.