Dining while traveling is probably one of the easiest places to cut spending and do so easily.
During a 10 day trip to Disney World my sister and I ate for FREE or very low cost a good majority of the time.
That saved us hundreds of dollars.
Cook your own meals vs. dining out
No, no one particularly likes to cook while on vacation. But nothing says you have to make a 5 course meal or cook all three meals per day! Use the strategies my sister and I have when traveling together and at most, you'll be cooking one easy meal per day. That's money saved that you can spend doing FUN stuff or occasionally treating yourself to dinner at a high end restaurant.
Believe it or not, we don't travel without my Insta Pot. We throw a quick meal in it in the morning, let it cook while we're out exploring and come back to a cooked meal. We use heavy duty disposables (eating utensils, plates, etc.) and virtually the only clean up we have is the Insta Pot itself.
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You can do the same thing with a crockpot or slow cooker.
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There's another plus to doing this. For those of us who must adhere to very strict diets, making our own food gives us control over what goes into our food - unlike food prepared by someone else.
Photo credit: Walmart
Get accommodations with a kitchen or kitchenette
This makes cooking your own meals much easier and you'll still come out money ahead even though a unit with a kitchen will cost you a bit more on the accommodations side.
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We did this when traveling to Hawaii where everything is godawful expensive, especially food. At the time we were there a gallon of milk cost $8.
At least one of our condo units had a kitchen and we made two meals per day - a quick breakfast and later, dinner.
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Doing this enabled us to go to the finest (and very expensive) restaurant on Maui to celebrate my sister and brother-in-law's anniversary.
Book accommodations that serve food
Most motels, hotels and B&B's serve at least a continental
breakfast. 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!
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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 you're traveling to
When traveling the Eastern Seaboard (for example) the majority of residents make their livings by fishing - so seafood will be fresh, plentiful and less expensive than other destinations that don't make their living fishing.
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​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 lunch vs. dinner
Many restaurants serve the same entrees for lunch that they serve for dinner. But they up the price for the dinner crowd, knowing they'll make more money that
way - on the same entree they served for less money at lunch.
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Save money on dinner every night by eating your main meal at lunch time when prices are cheaper.
Embrace local dining over touristy spots
Dining like a local is a great way to cut travel costs and enjoy authentic cuisine. By avoiding touristy restaurants and opting for local eateries, you can experience the culture and flavors of a destination without overspending.
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Local markets and street food vendors often offer delicious meals at a fraction of the cost of sit-down restaurants. Not only does this save money, but it also provides an opportunity to try new dishes and interact with locals. Embracing local dining can lead to a richer and more immersive travel experience.
Eat street food
Photo credit: Cheapism
Food trucks and food truck parks have become really popular in recent years - and with good reason!
The food is usually very good, the portions plentiful and the prices right. You also usually have a variety of different cuisines to choose from as well at a good truck park.
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A lunch plate will normally cost around $15 to $18 - far less then you'd pay in a restaurant.
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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.
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.
Photo credit: Rainforest Cafe
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.
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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.
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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.
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My Disney Dollars completely paid for a meal at Les Chefs du France, the most expensive restaurant in the WDW parks.
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I could also purchase Disney merchandise with those Disney Dollars.​
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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.
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Entertainment Coupon Membership offers thousands of dining coupons for anywhere in the U.S. and you can search restaurants by state.
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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.
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Usually the charge for these events is far less than restaurant prices for larger portions and better tasting (often homemade) food.
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Plus it helps the community!
Watch for gallery openings and similar events
Events like art gallery openings often have a reception with free food on the opening day of the exhibit.
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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
Photo credit: Dreamstime
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.
Drink in moderation and 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.
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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.
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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.
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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 or foodie tour
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.
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Foodie tours are another great way to sample a variety of foods in your travel destination.
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You can look up foodie tours available by location here.
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Bon Appétit!