Is Hatfield and Mccoy Worth It? A Local’s Review of the Show (2024)

the hatfield and mccoy building with a snapshot of two musicians performing in the lower right hand corner

The Hatfield and McCoy dinner show is located along the strip in Pigeon Forge (media photos courtesy of Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud)

A Smoky Mountain local offers an honest review of the Hatfield and McCoy dinner show

Devil Anse Hatfield was no hero. A cantankerous mountain man, he was unyielding and full of hate. He was at the heart of a West Virginia-Kentucky feud that left members of his own family as well as the McCoy family deprived of life for nothing more than pride and power and meanness. The McCoys were less affluent than the Hatfields, but they were believed to be well-connected politically. The patriarch of the McCoys was Randolph “Ole Ran’l” McCoy. Devil Anse was believed to be involved with the Logan Wildcats, an infantry of the Confederate Army.

While, yes, the Hatfield and McCoy story is true, there are many intricacies and varying reports surrounding the details. But if you’d like to know how the feud began, here’s the over-simplified version: Anse’s friend died in the war at the hands of the Union, and he wanted revenge. When Asa McCoy (a Union soldier) comes home from the war injured, Anse and the Wildcats send him a warning, which causes Asa to go into hiding for a while. But reportedly, the moment Asa comes out of hiding in 1865, he is murdered.

While a guilty party was never formally accused or convicted, the McCoy family pointed fingers at James “Jim” Vance, Anse’s uncle and a member of the militia group. Anse himself was reportedly bedridden at the time, which gave him an alibi. While some reports claim this was the start of the famous Hatfield-McCoy battle, other reports say that the McCoys felt that Asa “brought it upon himself” to fight for the Union.

black and white image of randolph mccoy imposed with devil anse hatfield
Randolph McCoy (left) and Devil Anse Hatfield (right) (archive photos/public domain)
hatfield family clan, large family in black and white
The Hatfield clan, 1897 (archive media photo/public domain)

Pros and cons of the show

Fast forward over 100 years and we’ve now turned that famous feud into a form of entertainment. Hatfield and McCoy isn’t my favorite dinner theatre in Pigeon Forge, I prefer the Stampede and the Pirates. But that doesn’t mean I’m not charmed by the humor – I grew up on Hee Haw, after all. And it also doesn’t mean I’m not impressed by the talented cast. Or that I don’t enjoy the tasty meal served with the show. It just means I have to be in the mood to spend my money at the dinner feud. I’ll let the feud’s apostrophe-obsessed PR team fill you in: 

“Whether you’re city-folk or country cuzins, you’ll love the singin’ and dancin’, mighty feats of strength, jaw-dropping stunts and side-splitting comedy. The chaos doesn’t stop with fightin’ cousins! You’ll watch divin’ Hillbillies and divin’ dogs, – in our brand new swimmin’ hole!”

Honestly, it’s a lot. Out here in the real world where diving dogs and people who use words like country cuzins seem a little surreal, the idea of the show seems exhausting to me. But once you’re in that room and you surrender to the inevitability of what’s about to happen, you can’t help but be entertained. According to their website, it’s settling differences mountain-style. The Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud is around two hours long.

the cast of the hatfield and mccoy dinner feud in a staged photo
The cast of the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud Show in Pigeon Forge (photo courtesy of Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud Show)

My review of the meal

Let’s let the PR team earn their money. 

“And the country cookin’ – whooee it’s good! Granny’s cookin’ up a heap of fried chicken and country pulled pork barbecue! Add smashed taters, creamy coleslaw, buttery corn on the cob, homemade rolls, creamy vegetable soup and Granny’s special dessert and you’ll need to loosen up your belt! Best dinner in town – Granny guarantees it! Come hungry ’cause it’s all-you-can-eat!”

Yes. That’s right. This “feudin’ feastin'” guarantee comes from Joker Granny and her dynamite. I’m going to be honest. I am conceptually opposed to the word tater unless it is immediately followed by the word tots or is being used by a Hobbit trying to explain to a Gollum how best to make a rabbit stew. But left to my own devices, I would separate the meal from the show. I’m not a dinner theater guy as much as I am a dinner and theater guy. Let me go to a show, I’ll go out to eat before or after. Still, the food is fine. It’s not great but under the circumstances, it falls into the category of pretty good. You could do a lot worse eating in Pigeon Forge, and I have. And yes, the Hatfield and McCoy dinner show serves themed moonshine-based drinks.

a man toasts a marshmallow on the flaming rear end of another man crawling across the stage
The Hatfield and McCoy show features an all-you-can-eat four-course meal, singing, dancing, jokes, stunts and a lot of slapstick comedy (photo courtesy of Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show)

Is the Hatfield and McCoy show worth it?

That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Or maybe the $60 question. For around $60 or $30 for the kids – prices vary by season – you get a four-course all-you-can-eat meal and live entertainment. You get a unique experience that will certainly stick in your memory for years to come. Dancing and diving hillbillies who sing and joke and have stunt dogs. Would you pay $40 for that show without a meal? I think you’d find that reasonable. So, would you pay $20 for a four-course meal of fried chicken and barbecue? I mean, I’d be happier at $15 but prices these days, I don’t think $20 is outlandish. 

With this in mind, I can see how you’d read this review and see it as a less-than-ringing endorsement. But look at it this way. But I may not be the target audience for this show. I know people who love it. LOVE it. The fact that I walk out of the theater entertained, satisfied and not wanting to run out into oncoming traffic is nothing short of a miracle. So if I can enjoy the show, then really anyone can. It makes for some good family fun. So is the Hatfield and McCoy dinner show worth your money? Yes. I think it is. If you’re into that sort of thing. 

Have you visited Hatfield and McCoy? Was it worth it? Let us know in the comments.

Have a question or comment about something in this article? Contact our staff here. You may also contact our editorial team at info@thesmokies.com.

20 thoughts on “Is Hatfield and Mccoy Worth It? A Local’s Review of the Show (2024)”

  1. Been to the show several times. The show is great but the food is awesome. The food is the best food in Pigeon Forge.

    Reply
    • Agree with you Vickie Gray. Show is great but the food is the best food in Pigeon Forge. The food far exceeds the other dinner shows’ food.

      Reply
  2. I thought it was an awesome show, it was very entertaining and hilarious. My cheeks hurt I was laughing so much. I seen the stampede also but thought Hatfield and McCoys was by far better. The food was really good and the soup was outstanding. There was a lot to eat. I recommend seeing the show.

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  3. My husband didn’t get any food ask the waitress a couple times for his food ask for coffee didn’t get either. Once the show starts you are screwed if you don’t have food. The table beside us had the same problem. We usually go every year but never again. Please don’t say all you can eat cause it is not all you can eat.

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  4. Went to the show and had a great time I would book my tickets through show not outside vendor the next time
    Food was good but soup was best found around
    Service was ok
    Humor was over the top
    Loved diving dogs

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  5. Been there and the entertainment and food was great had a awesome time and ob they take pictures going in and that to me is a great thing for a family or newlyweds

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  6. Great,everything was great our waitress was excellent show was worth seeing dinner was very good .will be back again Vanessa d

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    • Agreed wasted good money, barely got food before show, was cold and they said they ran out of soup, and after show started couldn’t get reorders or drinks, show was a joke for the price paid, and the wait staff should start their own magic show because when they finally brought food they magically disappeared. Never again worst experience in pigeon forge.

      Reply
  7. I can say one thing and that is that the waitress and waiters were super and they have a hard job trying to keep everyone happy. We have never had a problem with any of them.

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  8. I went there in June 11 this year. I’ve been there before. It is one of the best shows I’ve been to. Food was delicious. Will definitely go again.

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  9. My husband and I went for the first time this year. It was wonderful! The cast is talented, service was impeccable and the food was excellent as well. Worth the money for the experience.

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  10. Have gone several times they changed up the Christmas show this year and we went. Was very disappointed in the show and food was not good. For the cost of tickets will not go back.

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  11. My family went this summer grandkids and great grandkids loved the show and the food was great bought some soup mix to take home

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  12. My wife and I gave been a couple of times and truly enjoyed the show and meal. I don’t think you can find a better venue in Pigeon Forge with both a dinner and a show.

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  13. stampede sucks anymore and the Christmas show made no sense. The pirate voyage ain’t bad but just the vibe was weird and I felt bad for the seals. And the food is definitely better here than the other two.

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  14. We seen the Christmas version this December 2023 for my birthday, I don’t know what the original one is, however very disappointed, didn’t find it humorous nor was it Christmas related , except the very last song,all I want for Christmas, the food was terrible, dhicken dry,,out of all the BBQ was best. Dessert was plain pudding, yep down right awful, mot impressive!!

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  15. I have seen the Hatfield and Mccoy show numerous times. At one time it was my favorite. One they started with diving dogs and only one grandma and grandpa I quit going.

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  16. As for the show and food, we’ve been twice and it is very good, clean fun and entertainment. For those that go into it thinking that it will be a good overview of the actual feud, its not remotely close but that is not what it is supposed to be. We enjoyed ourselves alot. We did get seated on the McCoy side, which drew some laughter from our group. As for the article author’s short overview of the actual feud and Devil Anse, I do wish that more research had been done prior to him writing the article. If you do plan to write about actual events that took place, more research and having facts would have been appreciated in order to give the feud and it’s participants due justice.

    Reply
  17. Went 2 days ago. Food was fine and served hot service was excellent. There was an issue with the sound and it was booming. Could not make out what some of the actors were saying as the music was decibels above what is normal to listen to. We had to leave due to this in about 15 mins. There were also many others who were leaving for the same reason. The little we say of the show was not that entertaining. MIght have gotten better later in the show. Would not recommend it .

    Reply

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