Food comprises a major portion of your travel budget. The good news is it's the easiest way to score savings to keep your travel budget in line.
However, this is your vacation we’re talking about! So it’s important to find a balance between saving money and enjoying your trip. I, for one, don’t want to be cooking every meal while I’m on vacation.
But using the following tips and tricks will strike a happy balance in your travel meals so you can enjoy dining out in the places you wish to.
My sister and I took a 10 day trip to Walt Disney World where they charge you overly inflated prices on everything but breathing. Most of the time we ate for next to nothing or free by using some of the strategies below.
GET ACCOMMODATIONS WITH A KITCHEN OR KITCHENETTE
By preparing your own meals now and then, you'll save a bundle and that will enable you to splurge a bit on dining out at the restaurants you want to hit during your trip.
I actually carried my Instapot with me on my trips. I could toss a meal in there, go out and enjoy my vacation and when I returned to my hotel, dinner was ready.
I also took along disposable heavy duty plastic dinnerware so I didn't have a bunch of dirty dishes to contend with after my meal.
BOOK ACCOMMODATIONS THAT PROVIDE FOOD
Many places now provide at least a continental breakfast with your reservation. Dining out for breakfast will usually cost you around $20 per person by today's prices. If you're a family of four, that's $80 your family would spend on one breakfast. Over a 5 day vacation that's a $400 savings simply by taking advantage of that continental breakfast!
There's an added plus to doing this. While at WDW, my sister and I brought along insulated lunch bags and a filtered water bottle. We'd snag items from the breakfast bar and pack them for our lunch. We only bought one lunch at a walk up restaurant while at Disney and paid close to $50 each for a sandwich, small salad and soda that weren't even mediocre in quality. A bottled water at Disney back then cost $6. We'd simply go fill our water bottles at a soda machine in one of those walk up restaurants. You're paying for that "free" breakfast in the cost of your accommodations reservation so there's nothing dishonest about doing this whatsoever. So two meals per day didn't cost us anything extra.
EAT FOODS NATIVE TO THE REGION OF YOUR TRAVEL DESTINATION
Sure your mouth may be watering for a big, juicy steak...but if you're traveling say, on the Eastern Seaboard where people make their living fishing then seafood will not only be a less expensive option but it will be freshly caught...unlike that steak that will likely have been trucked in days before and that you would pay more for.
Another benefit to doing this that I found was I discovered I really liked some of these native-to-the-region foods that I wouldn't likely have tried otherwise.
MAKE YOUR MAIN MEAL OF THE DAY LUNCH
Many restaurants will offer basically the same entrees at lunch that they serve at dinner...but will up the price on the dinner
Photo credit: Pinterest
entree knowing they'll have more dinner customers than lunch customers so will increase their profits that way. Why pay more for the same dinner entree that will cost you less money eating that entree for lunch?
TALK TO THE LOCALS
I've never taken a trip in which I didn't ask the local residents for restaurant recommendations. They know which places have good food for reasonable prices. I've found some real hidden gems doing this!
EAT STREET FOOD
Food trucks and food truck parks began coming into their own a few years ago and they've continued to take off with travelers ever since. They're now cropping up all over the country.
Photo credit: Cheapism
Not only is a great selection of different cuisines available but a lunch plate will normally cost around $15 to $18 - far less then you'd pay in a restaurant.
We just got our first food truck park in Milwaukee, featuring seven food trucks and live music.. Zócalo — pronounced soh-kuh-loh — is Spanish for plaza or town square, and that further translates to the park’s organizers exhibiting a commitment to uniting people and supporting local small businesses. The food ranges from tacos, sushi, and arepas to fried chicken sandwiches, bagels, and ice cream. There’s an on-site tavern, too, open every day but Monday.
From the Milwaukee Food Truck park.
Photo credit: Zocalo
CHECK OUT COUPON SITES
Check out coupon sites like restaurant.com and Groupon for dining deals.
Before our Disney trip, I'd gone to restaurant.com and took advantage of a special they were running - $40 off your meal coupons for $10 each.
Rather than eat in the parks where a simple Dole Whip will cost you $14, we ate in Disney Springs at restaurants like Planet Hollywood and House of Blues. The only money that came out of our own pockets was a tip for our server.
Google Food is another good resource to check.
CHECK OUT RESTAURANT WEBSITES
Once you've decided where you'd like to eat on your trip, scope out the websites of those restaurants.
For our Disney trip, there was a Rainforest Cafe right outside the entry gates of Animal Kingdom. Lunch inside the park would have cost us around $100 each.
On the Rainforest Cafe website I signed up for free for their Landry Awards Program. I received $50 for signing up plus another $25 because it was my birthday the following month when we'd be at Disney. I also got priority seating, a big plus when dealing with Disney crowds.
We were seated immediately and the photo at left was what each of us had for our FREE lunch. The only money that came out of our pocket was for the server's tip.
You can also find important info on these restaurant websites like advertised upcoming deals, coupons and if they offer any special deals where kids basically eat free, like this one from Rainforest Cafe.
Check to see if the restaurant also has a social media site like Facebook. Often they'll post upcoming deals on their social media site.
USE NO FEE CREDIT CARDS THAT REWARD YOU
My no fee Chase VISA Disney credit card awards me Disney Dollars with every purchase I make on it.
My Disney Dollars completely paid for a meal at Les Chefs du France, the most expensive restaurant in the WDW parks.
I could also purchase Disney merchandise with those Disney Dollars.
Skymiles Dining will pay you back in miles or points.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF COUPON BOOKS AND DINING GUIDES
Many cities have coupon books and dining guides that contain coupons to their area restaurants.
Entertainment Coupon Membership offers thousands of dining coupons for anywhere in the U.S. and you can search restaurants by state.
Restaurants will also put coupons in the local newspaper. Pick up tourism brochures at rest stops or visitor centers. They often contain coupons.
WATCH FOR COMMUNITY FUNDRAISERS
I'm always watching for those neighborhood signs advertising pancake breakfasts or all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner fundraisers.
Usually the charge for these events is far less than restaurant prices for larger portions and better tasting (often homemade) food.
Plus it helps the community!
WATCH FOR GALLERY OPENINGS & SIMILAR EVENTS
Events like art gallery openings often have a reception with free food on the opening day of the exhibit.
You can kill two birds with one stone - see a gallery exhibit while munching away.
SKIP THE AIRPORT/AIRLINE FOOD
It's overpriced and usually not all that tasty. Eat before you arrive at the airport and pack some grab 'n go items and snacks in Ziploc bags that you can put in your carry on instead.
PLAN A PICNIC AS ONE OF YOUR ACTIVITIES
Gallery opening food table
You're on vacation, you're supposed to be relaxing! Hit up a local deli, grocery store or farmer's market and pack a picnic. There's nothing more relaxing that sitting on a scenic overlook or in a beautiful park eating a picnic lunch. Cheaper than eating in a restaurant too.
Photo credit: Dreamtime
DRINK IN MODERATION & TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HAPPY HOURS
You don’t have to give up drinking alcohol, but your travel budget will thank you for saying no to that second beer or glass of wine with dinner (and sadly, that after-dinner cocktail). If you want to drink, take advantage of pre-dinner happy hours with drink discounts.
Also be aware of the fact that in touristy areas the booze you're being served is likely bottom shelf and can even be watered down.
You can also wait to unwind until after your meal. In the U.S., and indeed in most parts of the world, store-bought alcohol is cheaper than booze served in local restaurants and bars. When you arrive at your destination, hit the liquor section of the nearest bodega or supermarket to stock up.
Also take advantage of Happy Hours when drinks and appetizers are half price.
INVITE YOURSELF TO DINE WITH LOCALS
You can also invite yourself to dine with locals through programs like Eatwith or BonAppetour.com.
FIND ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BUFFETS
These are good options for families with a lot of mouths to feed. And I've found phenomenal breakfast buffets in particular. If I fill up at one of those I can usually skip lunch.
TAKE A COOKING CLASS AND/OR FOODIE TOUR
Photo credit: Fity Club
Hubby and I took a couples cooking class on our trip to New Orleans. The wine was flowing freely and we had such a good time with the other couples! Not only did we learn how to make Cajun and Creole, we ate what we'd made.
Foodie tours are another great way to sample a variety of foods in your travel destination.
Bon Appétit!