Food money - being totally unrealistic?!

[Kath2003]

Hey guys,

My friend and I are taking a month out to the states in August; Orlando is our second stop. We have budgeted £20 a day for food & drink (not including alcohol). Are we being totally unrealistic?

Our eating habits are that of a typical student: no breakfast, small lunch (a subway is fine - a hamburger and fries is a BIG lunch), decent sized dinner (hamburger and fries would be fine - we don't like steak etc. - we're more pizza-people!).

We'll only be buying drinks with meals (cola for Lib, water for me).

 

[tartangirl]

You'll get away with £20 so long as you eat in the places you suggest - Ponderosa type places for evening meal.

The one expense that always mounts up is drinks as you will need to drink plenty but you can always get bottle of water and keep topping up at water fountains.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Sounds fine to me, although depends on where you eat rather than what you eat (i.e. parks can be expensive, even for drinks...)

Maybe consider stocking up on multi-packs of cans/bottles at the supermarket and take them into the parks and drink them at your hotel (rather than pay park/mini-bar/hotel-bar type prices)... might save a bit.

Hotels tend to be expensive for breakfast, but if you eat at an IHOP/Dennys/MacDs or eat breakfast bars etc. you can keep it cheap.

Eating at parks is never cheap, you are probably talking about $10 a head for lunch (by the time you have included taxes etc). So that is $20 (about £13) for the two of you just for lunch. Outside the parks it is a LOT easier: burgers/tacos/pizza/subs etc.

£20 for the both of you is possible, £20 each would be easy.

Boo

 

[Kath2003]

Ah sorry, I didn't make it clear, it's £20 EACH so around $30 each a day.

We're not looking at eating in expensive places. When we eat out in the evening it'll just be main course and possibly a dessert between us. We're looking at places like TGIs, Bennigans, Perkins etc. - Hard Rock Cafe being the top end of the budget!

In the theme parks we're looking at maybe an individual pizza each for what, $6?

I'm not allowed soda so I'll just buy one bottle of water and continually refill it.

 

[Goofyish]

Even in the parks you can manage fine on $30 a day each

Although beer and wine will seriously dent your budget!

Sounds like a typical 1/2 pound burger with bacon and a visit to the fixings bar, all with fries will probably last you all day That would set you back about $8 in Peco Bill in MK

 

[Minniespal]

I think it can be achieved. There is a link here from the Restaurant Board where a family of 4 ate for $75 a day.

 

[alisonbestford]

I can't see you having any problems with that budget

As a family of 3 (2 adults and 1 child), who eat a lot, we easily spent less than $70 a day and that included sodas

Keep an eye out for all the money off vouchers - they saved us quite a bit

 

[Lisash]

I would have thought you'd be ok. A lot of the popular restaurant chains like Bennigans etc have websites where you can look at menus and get an idea of prices. It'll get you in the holiday mood too

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Ah sorry, I didn't make it clear, it's £20 EACH so around $30 each a day.

Well that is fantastic! Yes, your original post could have been taken either way....

I honestly think that you will be great on that sort of budget - you could probably even go under-budget on some days and go for something even more special on others, quite easily

Agreed about keeping an eye out for coupons (look through the free guides that you see in hotels/supermarkets/restaurants too - they will often have coupons inside too).

If you are not familiar with the US, then don't forget to mentally add sales taxes and tip (normally 15%-20%) on top of the menu prices at sit-down restaurants... It is just worth remembering that what it costs you in restaurants is more than the prices on the menu suggest.

You should have a great time on £20 a day per person

Best Wishes,
Boo

 

[castanea1985]

Hi, if you get breakfast outside the parks, you could take a few Quaker granola bars in to snack on! There are a few 'stalls' in Disney that sell fruit too! Thats what we usually do, caus if you eat three meals (US size), we usually are too full.
Have a great time. We did New York, and Washington two years ago, and can't wait to go back!!

 

[rpbert1]

Ah sorry, I didn't make it clear, it's £20 EACH so around $30 each a day.

QUOTE]
£20 at the rate at the minute works out at $37 so you have that bit extra for a few extra beers

 

[rosiejo]

Kath you'll be fine - DH and I have managed on $30 a day each for the last two trips - some days we spend over but other days we spend less so it evens out.

 

[Kath2003]

Kath you'll be fine - DH and I have managed on $30 a day each for the last two trips - some days we spend over but other days we spend less so it evens out.

Cool, I can't see how it can be *that* difficult - I mean, $10 for like a burger and soda/water leaves $20 for dinner...which, at somewhere like TGIs is gonna be about $15 for food leaving $5 for a soda and tip....

Anyone know about getting Dominos to deliver?!

 

[Miffy2003]

Anyone know about getting Dominos to deliver?!

Pretty sure they do