Average meal costs at WDW

[LuzzBightyear]

I am planning a trip to WDW for a group of 10, and am trying to build a cost calculator in Excel so each person would have a ballpark idea of how much the vacation will cost them.

Tickets and lodging is the easy part, but I need help finding a single average price of a meal that I can put in my calculator.

Assumptions for this group:
1. Will not do a dining plan
2. No signature dining
3. Likely to get something like a burger, wrap, pizza, fajitas, or pasta dish rather than steak, lobster, ect
4. If appetizers and deserts were ordered, it would likely be 2-3 people splitting them
5. Likely order soft beverage, but no alcohol
6. Probably do a buffet/character meal once during the 7-day trip.
7. No dinner shows
8. Meals will be from resort area (Beach Club) and the parks

I know this may be difficult, but given the info above, what do you think my ballpark estimates below per adult?

Table service lunch and dinner: $27 including taxes and 15% tip
Counter service: $12.50 including taxes

 

[Music City Mama]

I know this may be difficult, but given the info above, what do you think my ballpark estimates below per adult?

Table service lunch and dinner: $27 including taxes and 15% tip
Counter service: $12.50 including taxes

FWIW, I think this sounds like a good estimate.

 

[IbeAbitGOOFY]

I know this may be difficult, but given the info above, what do you think my ballpark estimates below per adult?

Table service lunch and dinner: $27 including taxes and 15% tip
Counter service: $12.50 including taxes

I did something similar for my upcoming trip. We (DW and I) made our ADRs and then looked at the menus for each of those places. We then selected what we "thought" we'd order (including drink, app, entree, and/or dessert). I then averaged the cost for the two of us and averaged all the costs. This was for our TS. Did the similar for CS. Sure, it was a lot of work, but my average came pretty close to yours.

 

[MrsLS]

Look on allears.net for food prices. Avg buffet is $25 for breakfast, more for lunch & dinner. Counter service can be $8-15 avg. Soda/water in the park is $2.50, at TS they are around the same. For regular TS (not 2 credit) they are around $5-12 for apps, entrees $10-25 (but some places like Le Cellier have $35+ entrees), desserts $5-8. But I really suggest you look at the menus.

 

[2forMe]

FWIW, I think this sounds like a good estimate.

Me too, but perhaps a bit high for the table service.. if you stick to lunch it is cheaper. I think that most TS lunches can be had for $11-14, plus drink and than tax.
Your one character meal will likely cost you $45

 

[larryz]

I always budget $40 per adult per day. It tends to balance out -- some days you spend more, some days less. Multiple signature restaurants or dining experiences will skew the average higher, though, as will extremely short trips (3 days or less).

 

[Roxychica7]

I did something similar for my upcoming trip. We (DW and I) made our ADRs and then looked at the menus for each of those places. We then selected what we "thought" we'd order (including drink, app, entree, and/or dessert). I then averaged the cost for the two of us and averaged all the costs. This was for our TS. Did the similar for CS. Sure, it was a lot of work, but my average came pretty close to yours.

I always do this half because I really like to know the closest total possible for each meal and half because Dbf is indecisive and changes his mind easily, so we pick out of food ahead of time. I pull my notecard out and say, this is what you're getting But honestly, this is great, I highly recommend it if you're not going on the DP. At least I know I'm not the only one that does this!

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Table service lunch and dinner: $27 including taxes and 15% tip
Counter service: $12.50 including taxes

We're not allowed to talk about tips on this board except in the sticky thread on the front page...You need to check that out. Your tipping percentage is too low for groups.