Ways to save on eating out while in Orlando?

[Colargol]

We are a family of 4; DD4, DD8, DH and myself, from Europe. Only been to Florida once before.

This time we are looking in to ways we can save some money while on holiday in Orlando. Eating out is an obvious place to start. Although we will stay in an apartment, and can prepare our own food there, we do enjoy eating out while abroad. Doesn't have to be too fancy or anything; for us it is pretty much an adventure anyway as it is something different from home I'll never forget DDs face when she realised that they only had pancakes on the menu when we visisted a pancake-place. It was like pancake-heaven for her ;-)
Kids eat pretty much anything. DH would love a good steak, or BBQ.

Any suggestions on how we can save money when eating out, or suggestions to places we should try out while in Orlando?

 

[usnuzuloose]

I don't know of places to eat on the outside, but when I go places I have never been I always ask the locals. They usually give me great advice on places to eat.

 

[sharona]

There is a Orlando forum that has some great tips. Check out the visitorlando.com website for info on the coupon books. Also check out Groupon for Orlando before you arrive. Great deals can be found there.

Since you're not from the US, you may enjoy some of the chain restaurants. They tend to be affordable with large portions and Orlando has plenty of them. We love Cheesecake Factory here at home and I know there's one in Orlando. The menus is huge and they have everything, including a great steak if that is what you're after. They have a kids menu so you can save that way.

 

[Candleshoe]

I started using RESTAURANT.COM on one of our disney trips back when. Haven't used it in a while, so I hope it's still a viable option. But we have had some pretty good savings using that.

I just signed up for Sweet Tomatoes "club" and have been getting emailed coupons. Trip's in June so I can't use them yet, but every time I get one I get excited for the trip

 

[kymom99]

Sweet tomatoes is great.

 

[Mizzoufan]

Sweet tomatoes is great.

We are so trying that next time we are in Orlando!

 

[kymom99]

We are so trying that next time we are in Orlando!

Very reasonable too!

 

[bearzabout]

These are a few of my budget favorites including new places to try on my next trip:

CiCis pizza - coupons abound - ask them to cook a custom pizza for you so it is served hot. about $6 pp with drinks when using coupon
Sweet Tomatoes - all you can eat salad, soup bar with some pasta and soft serve ice cream. Sign up for coupons online if you have internet and a printer available at your apartment
Cookes of Dublin - Disney's marketplace - fish & chips for $11 or $7 for kids portions
O'Kenan Venezuelean Restaurant - arepas, yuca fries, fried plantains $6-$10 per dish
Hot Crust Panini Kitchen - good sandwiches, not very expensive
Earl of Sandwich - hot sandwiches for around $7 at Disney's marketplace
Havana's Cuban Cuisine - shrimp, pork, steak
Benihanas on South International for an awesome $12 steak lunch and a show while they cook it
Chuys - for Mexican food. check out their free nacho bar at certain times during the week.
Ichiban Buffet - cheap Chinese buffet on Irlo Bronson - if something is not good or hot, leave it and try something else
Kim Wu Chinese - cheap small lunch buffet north of Universal
Millers Ale House - it is a bar but they have great deals on lunch specials and dinner specials nightly
Border Grill Fresh Mex - small but good Mexican joint near Universal
Steak and Shake for $4 burgers with fries
Publix has great made to order sub sandwiches for $6-$8 that can feed 2-4. Subway is also good
Publix has good key lime pie and Wynn Dixie makes a good lemon meringue pie
Twistee Treat Cafe for flavored soft serve ice cream
Sushiology in the food court at the mall on Vineland

If anyone is having a birthday during the month you are in Orlando, do a search on free birthday deals. Most require advanced registration and my not be available to people from out of the US, but you never know.

If anyone is in Orlando on April 14, it is free ice cream day at any Ben & Jerrys location. All you can eat from noon to 8pm, one scoop per time through the line.

 

[ilovefh]

Sign yourself and DH up for the Earl of Sanwich club a week before you go. You get a coupon for a free sandwich.

 

[jskacoc]

You can also get "kids eat free" cards.
http://kidseatfreecard.com/catalog/kids-eat-free-cards
Undercover Tourist has them a little cheaper.
We also grab the restaurant coupon books you can find at hotels, stores, etc.
We love Cici's and Sweet Tomatoes.
It's a little more expensive than the other suggestions but Trails End at Fort Wilderness has a good BBQ buffet.

 

[KingofJapan]

Ugh!! Cici's and sweet tomatoes. If you have a car and gps, get out of the tourist area. It's very easy to navigate around Orlando. Church street has some good places. Cheesecake factory is always a good fallback place. Maggianos is good for you since you are a family of 4 (family style eating). Melting pot is decent too. Cicis is just nasty ghetto pizza. NYPD pizza is good and it's in metro west.

 

[KingofJapan]

We are a family of 4; DD4, DD8, DH and myself, from Europe. Only been to Florida once before.

This time we are looking in to ways we can save some money while on holiday in Orlando. Eating out is an obvious place to start. Although we will stay in an apartment, and can prepare our own food there, we do enjoy eating out while abroad. Doesn't have to be too fancy or anything; for us it is pretty much an adventure anyway as it is something different from home I'll never forget DDs face when she realised that they only had pancakes on the menu when we visisted a pancake-place. It was like pancake-heaven for her ;-)
Kids eat pretty much anything. DH would love a good steak, or BBQ.

Any suggestions on how we can save money when eating out, or suggestions to places we should try out while in Orlando?

Is it true your husband was laid off and you will be doing a 4 week Disney vacation?

http://www.disboards.com/threads/to-disney-or-not-to-disney.3392618/page-2#post-53306067

No way I would be doing a 4 week Disney trip.

 

[Candleshoe]

Is it true your husband was laid off and you will be in Orlando for a 4 week vacation?

http://www.disboards.com/threads/to-disney-or-not-to-disney.3392618/page-2#post-53306067

No way I would be doing a 4 week Disney trip.

Yo! Judgmental much?

Did Colargol ask for you to weigh in on their choices? Do you KNOW how much savings they have?
Perhaps the husband worked 15 hrs days for years and they're making the most of family time.

Dude, climb off your High Seat of Judgement.

 

[Colargol]

Is it true your husband was laid off and you will be doing a 4 week Disney vacation?

http://www.disboards.com/threads/to-disney-or-not-to-disney.3392618/page-2#post-53306067

No way I would be doing a 4 week Disney trip.

Yes, thats right. We planned and booked this trip last year, and my husband just recently lost his job. Non-refundable tickets and accomondation, so now we are looking at ways to travel on a budget before we decide whether we have to cancel or not. Rest assured; we will not go if we can not afford to ;-)

All suggestions to places to eat out are being saved, and we will use them whether we go this summer or next. It has been a real eye-opener; on our last visist to Florida we mostly ended up eating at Disney or in our apartment, but next time we will bring a list of affordable and (to us) exiting places to eat out!

 

[ilovefh]

Another place that is a good value is Manny's Chophouse. It's a bit of a drive depending on where you are staying but it's worth it. Wednesdays are buy one get one free fajitas. You'd want the Haines City location. Be sure to call ahead because it's always super busy!

 

[KingofJapan]

Yo! Judgmental much?

Did Colargol ask for you to weigh in on their choices? Do you KNOW how much savings they have?
Perhaps the husband worked 15 hrs days for years and they're making the most of family time.

Dude, climb off your High Seat of Judgement.

So you would still travel to Disney if you lost your job.

 

[Colargol]

So you would still travel to Disney if you lost your job.

But what other people would and wouldn't do really dosen't matter, does it? We are more than capable of making an informed desicion by our selves, taking in to account our finances, family situation and other issues regarding our situation. What other people might choose to do is just not that relevant.

 

[kymom99]

So you would still travel to Disney if you lost your job.

It's none of your business. Maybe they won the lottery yesterday.

 

[staceyeileen]

So you would still travel to Disney if you lost your job.

Have you even read the thread you're referring to? The OP clearly explains the financial situation.

 

[sharona]

If I had already paid for tickets/room/flights and it was non refundable, you bet your booty I'd still go. Of course we would scale back on all of the extras and be as economical as possible. You have to eat whether you're at home of away so food is not an extra.

OP if you've got a kitchen plan to have breakfast there and then split lunches in the parks. I found the portions of the adult meals to be plenty for 2 to share, more than enough for a 4 and 8 year old. Eat off site as often as you can to save money, WDW table service restaurants are wildly overpriced. Grab a pizza for dinner a few nights. Bring your own snacks and water into the parks each day. If you find yourself creeping over your budget, there's always the drive thru.

Here's a link to some coupons: https://www.livingsocial.com/cities...Ub_t8kCl5L-PAQiI8i0OuvBqoKeB_Ry5rMaAnXq8P8HAQ