How much $$ 4 Food Each Day?

[LMO429]

We are a grand gathering going in May. (8 in total..all woman ranging in age from 28 to 63 yrs of age) We do not intend on doing the disney dining experience or the Disney Dining Plan.

We were thinking instead of each girl contributing $$$ each day into a pool. and one person would be responsible for the money for our counter service and table service meals. (we thought this would be easier than trying to have to figure out how to split the bill at dinner every night)

What is your estimate on how much it would be for a counter service lunch and a table service dinner (with alcohol) for each day? Would $35 to $40 dollars be enough each day per person? Or do you think it would be more? On average how much is counter service per person and a table service meal.

any thoughts would be great! thanks a bunch!

 

[angelmav]

Really depends on a couple of things, what type of restaurants? Any signature meals? You mention each ordering alcohol each day which will throw your projections off a bit. Most CS an adult can eat at for around $10, that leaves $20 for a TS plus tip and then 7-10 for alcohol and your in the ballpark.

 

[PattnFmly]

Not to throw a monkeywrench in here, but ... I really hope this works for your group. We've tried this with a dinner here & there and inevitably there's hard feelings when one person has a couple drinks with a big meal and others are just having soup and a sandwich. We had to go back to everyone paying for what they consumed. But we did start bringing along a pad of paper and for the meal, each person gets a piece of paper, and during the meal writes down what they ate/drank and the prices and then adds it themselves and does their own tax calculations on their slip and hands in the money to the paying designee for that meal. We usually have the gratuity added on as we're a large group so that's easy to divide and add in. Then there's no hard feelings and/or leftover resentment. It was spoiling our fun. Good luck with whatever you do!

 

[Hopefully]

Take a look at the menu on allearsnet.com and see what you might order and what it would cost. The menus and prices are current. They are there for both CS and TS too.
I agree with the last poster, I would be wary of this solution. It can lead to hard feelings. Do you think everyone will eat and drink an "equivalent" amount at each meal?
Whatever you decide, have a lot of fun.

 

[LMO429]

Not to throw a monkeywrench in here, but ... I really hope this works for your group. We've tried this with a dinner here & there and inevitably there's hard feelings when one person has a couple drinks with a big meal and others are just having soup and a sandwich. We had to go back to everyone paying for what they consumed. But we did start bringing along a pad of paper and for the meal, each person gets a piece of paper, and during the meal writes down what they ate/drank and the prices and then adds it themselves and does their own tax calculations on their slip and hands in the money to the paying designee for that meal. We usually have the gratuity added on as we're a large group so that's easy to divide and add in. Then there's no hard feelings and/or leftover resentment. It was spoiling our fun. Good luck with whatever you do!

The group of us are all family, it will not cause hard feelings because everyone drinks alcohol.

IMO i think bringing a pad and paper to dinner and writing down everything a person eats at dinner is not exactly what we have in mind on doing.

 

[linzbear]

That's the thing though, it varies so much that one of the girls who might be trying to save some money might end up with the short end of the stick, and another might end up taking advantage.

For example, I've eaten dinner for:
$10 - Wolfgang puck Express at DTD
$28 - Liberty Tree Tavern at MK
$40 - Chefs de France at EPCOT
$50 - Hoop Dee Doo Revue
$70 - California Grill

And I don't drink Alcohol (well, Hoop Dee Doo comes with free beer). Figure about $8/drink. What happens if someone has 3 drinks, and another has only 1?

It can add up quickly, and all it takes is 1 meal to create bad feelings.

 

[LMO429]

That's the thing though, it varies so much that one of the girls who might be trying to save some money might end up with the short end of the stick, and another might end up taking advantage.

For example, I've eaten dinner for:
$10 - Wolfgang puck Express at DTD
$28 - Liberty Tree Tavern at MK
$40 - Chefs de France at EPCOT
$50 - Hoop Dee Doo Revue
$70 - California Grill

And I don't drink Alcohol (well, Hoop Dee Doo comes with free beer). Figure about $8/drink. What happens if someone has 3 drinks, and another has only 1?

It can add up quickly, and all it takes is 1 meal to create bad feelings.

I just dont look at it that way. My personal feelings is that when you go out with a group you divide it equally amongst the people you are out with. that being said we have always in the past taken into consideration if someone has eaten less or drank less we would just make them pay less. but we dont itemize the bill and say "you had this" and "i had that".

most times the alcoholic drinks on the bill are itemized seperately you can just divide the price of the bill equally among the group minus the alcohol part.

 

[Kathi OD]

Going back to your original post, I'm not so sure that $35-$40 would be enough DEPENDING on where you are eating AND what each person chooses. When DH and I went earlier this month, we had some counter service meals that were upwards of $15 each (although this included desert). We had a few TS meals that were in the $30-$35 range, with one meal much higher ($50-$55). The PP suggestion to check on allears is right on. Decide ahead of time those restaurants where you would like to dine and then check out the menus. Based on that, decide how much per person you should all chip in. Of course, people can change their minds on their meals once at the restaurant, but this should give you a good idea of how much you'll spend per person, per day.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[gina2000]

Are you sharing appetizers? Desserts? If everyone is ordering their own at a TS restaurant, you aren't planning enough money.

My extended family always pools money on vacations and when we go out to dinner and we never have hard feelings. We always put in a set amount and replenish as necessary throughout a vacation or day out if necessary. If someone really drinks a lot more than the standard one or two drinks, he/she throws in some extra money. We don't sweat it and we've been doing this for years. We just pay the bill and figure that usually one person will over order at a meal.....but make it up by ordering a less expensive entree at another meal.

 

[mortimor]

I would just charge it to the room under one persons name..and then divide it evenly among the 8 people. The only downside to this the max is $500.00 for charging and then you have to stop down and the front desk and have that amount paid up on your credit card and then they allow charging up to another 500 bucks and on and on and on. We have done this before when we spent too much and it is a simple process that shows the amounts, places etc and it works great, no money to carry around no arguing about what was spent where, no reciepts to add up etc.

 

[LMO429]

I would just charge it to the room under one persons name..and then divide it evenly among the 8 people. The only downside to this the max is $500.00 for charging and then you have to stop down and the front desk and have that amount paid up on your credit card and then they allow charging up to another 500 bucks and on and on and on. We have done this before when we spent too much and it is a simple process that shows the amounts, places etc and it works great, no money to carry around no arguing about what was spent where, no reciepts to add up etc.

I like this idea!

 

[JennyDrake]

Hubby and I do not drink. When we go, we usually at 2 food court/CS meals per day with one buffet or sit down (breakfast or lunch.) We usually buy a drink and a snack each day. I budget $55 per person per day and we usually come in under budget.
I'm NOT anti-alcohol, but be aware that alcohol at WDW is VERY pricey. Figure $4.50-8 per beer or wine and at least $8 per mixed drink.
_I_ would consider polling the money for food, but letting each person pay their own drinks.

 

[3csluvthemouse]

We are a grand gathering going in May. (8 in total..all woman ranging in age from 28 to 63 yrs of age) We do not intend on doing the disney dining experience or the Disney Dining Plan.

We were thinking instead of each girl contributing $$$ each day into a pool. and one person would be responsible for the money for our counter service and table service meals. (we thought this would be easier than trying to have to figure out how to split the bill at dinner every night)

What is your estimate on how much it would be for a counter service lunch and a table service dinner (with alcohol) for each day? Would $35 to $40 dollars be enough each day per person? Or do you think it would be more? On average how much is counter service per person and a table service meal.

any thoughts would be great! thanks a bunch!

If you are thinking $35-40 per person, why rule out the dining plan? You would then just need to cover alcohol, and would have all those credits to use.

 

[Pirate Me]

If you are thinking $35-40 per person, why rule out the dining plan? You would then just need to cover alcohol, and would have all those credits to use.

I SECOND this suggestion....makes sense to me!

 

[50 years Too!]

I've done women trips before. I know what you mean about trying to figure what everyone has and pay accordingly.
If everyone has similar eating and drinking habits, a good way would be to have one person charge everything (or have it charged to your room) as the other poster mentioned.
At the end of the trip you simply divide the total by your number and each person pays the one who charged.
That is what we did, and it worked perfectly.

Deb

 

[Pumbaa_]

I just dont look at it that way. My personal feelings is that when you go out with a group you divide it equally amongst the people you are out with. that being said we have always in the past taken into consideration if someone has eaten less or drank less we would just make them pay less. but we dont itemize the bill and say "you had this" and "i had that".

most times the alcoholic drinks on the bill are itemized seperately you can just divide the price of the bill equally among the group minus the alcohol part.

Does everyone in the group feel the same way? Are you sure? When I dine out with friends, we each pay our own portion of the bill or if we do get the same we share the bill evenly.

Better to make surre everyone feels the same way now than have hard feelings later. If one person has 3 drinks and one only has 1 drink, that adds up quickly over a week.

PP had a good point, if you are planning on 35-40 per person per day, the DDP may be a good idea for your group. Then you just have to deal with the gratuity,

Sounds like a fun girls trip

 

[ZoZo]

If you are thinking $35-40 per person, why rule out the dining plan? You would then just need to cover alcohol, and would have all those credits to use.

I agree - that would make things much simpler. Are you eligible for the dining plan? (We are not, because we stay at Shades of Green.) If so, I would definitely do it, especially since you're doing table service meals each day.

To simplify things at CS restaurants, each person could order her own meal and pay for it right there (that's what we do - we're four unrelated women traveling together). Then all you have to do is figure out how you're going to divide up the TS meals.

I guess I would get the group together and decide what to do ahead of time. As long as everyone agrees, it should work.

(PS - I'm the one who always seems to get the short end of the stick on the "split everything evenly" plan, since I don't drink alcohol. We usually each pitch in the amount we owe, since some people might just order an appetizer, and some order full meals plus dessert. I don't feel the need to divide everything up to the penny, but I don't think it's fair for me to pay $10 or $15 extra if I don't drink - my girlfriends often order two or three glasses of wine apiece at dinner, and that really adds up, especially if they're ordering expensive wine! Luckily, they totally "get it" and make sure I don't pay more than my fair share.)

 

[TLSnell1981]

I totally agree with the above posters about the DDP. It is a LOT simpler. You guys are already planning on a CS and TS each day. That would leave the gratuity and drinks to split. I also think it would be easier to put it all on one room and split the cost at the end of the trip.

 

[Dopey420]

I just dont look at it that way. My personal feelings is that when you go out with a group you divide it equally amongst the people you are out with.

What?!!!??

That is crazy. Unless one person is picking up the tab, you don't split it "evenly".

You might not think there are bad feelings... but there are!

 

[TLSnell1981]

What?!!!??

That is crazy. Unless one person is picking up the tab, you don't split it "evenly".

You might not think there are bad feelings... but there are!

Especially, on an all girls' trip. We women tend to count pennies. I know my husband's buddy can owe him $10, but my friend would owe me $10.42.