what the best way to figure out dining cost

[skw251520]

Good Evening everyone,
I am starting to plan our big family vacation for 2020 and was wondering to get a ballpark figure in what the difference between paying OOP or DDP. i am taking the highest meal cost and figuring in tip and tax in my meals then dividing by the number of adults we have in the party to see if its worth paying for the dinning plan or out of pocket

 

[Nancyg56]

I usually make a list of the TS restaurants will will visit, go to Allears.net and price out the meals my family tends to order. I also look at the CS restaurants we will likely go to and do the same. I know that my DD and DSIL have their snack list and not one of those stinkers is priced under $5 so I will add 10 per person just for the snacks.

WE never had alcohol or specialty drinks before but I will include an average of $9 per person per meal for the beverage.

I do not cost the most TS expensive meals for all of us because I know my DD will not touch the beef, and my DSIL may or may not. DH and I will generally get steak when it is on the menu, and we all get dessert at dinner.


For CS meals we do look for substantial options becuase we will often share between two of us, so I figure about $12 for each credit. I am adding 9 for the alcohol beverage.

So for us:

Snacks = 10.00
Beverages = 18.00
CS entree = $12
TS meal = $35 Entree and dessert

For our average the food will be about $75 before tax. SO for us, we at least break even before tax. We would tip DDP or no DDP, and we will likely order a few appetizers for teh table. That will be taxed. And that is a conservative number. Steaks are generally higher, and chicken a little less. Pork in the middle.

TS desserts run between $7 and $9 each. WE will have one under 21 so her beverage may be less unless she orders a fancy pants virgin cocktail.

 

[sharonabe]

Good Evening everyone,
I am starting to plan our big family vacation for 2020 and was wondering to get a ballpark figure in what the difference between paying OOP or DDP. i am taking the highest meal cost and figuring in tip and tax in my meals then dividing by the number of adults we have in the party to see if its worth paying for the dinning plan or out of pocket

You need to take tip out of the equation since it is not covered by the DDP.

But, yes, the best way is to choose where you want to eat, and then look at the menus and do the math.

 

[chris benton]

I'd also take it a step further, and research meal sizes.
You will be paying for the food you throw away.
Going home with a bunch of over priced Jack Links Beef Jerky because you had to use up snack credits since you were stuffed beyond your food limit trying to eat the money you spent, is not a "great way" to use up snack credits.

Some people underestimate the sheer volume of food involved. You can use this to your advantage by trying to plan which QS meals you can share, and there are a good number of them.

 

[Nancyg56]

I'd also take it a step further, and research meal sizes.
You will be paying for the food you throw away.
Going home with a bunch of over priced Jack Links Beef Jerky because you had to use up snack credits since you were stuffed beyond your food limit trying to eat the money you spent, is not a "great way" to use up snack credits.

Some people underestimate the sheer volume of food involved. You can use this to your advantage by trying to plan which QS meals you can share, and there are a good number of them.

We use the snack credits to stretch the plan into three meals per day per person. We will often share a CS breakfast and a CS lunch, and have a snack, once again usually shared, in between to keep us from getting hungry. We never wallow around filled to the gills, and are never hungry. There are 9 days and 8 nights on our stay, and because we have several signature meals included in our plans, we may decide that we can share a few TS meals as well.

My DH will cringe if we throw food away, so we try to be as sure as possible that we order what we want and eat what we order. I always suggest people look at what they will likely order from the meals they want to book. IT is all about how a family likes to dine on vacation, and putting in a little work ahead of time to make sure you find the plan that matches the dining, not the other way around.