After the theme parks, your biggest expense while on holiday in Florida is likely to be dining. While eating out in America (and especially Orlando) is often great value for money, it is easy for the costs to pile up quite considerably, not just with the main meals of the day, but also with drinks and snacks.

In many cases, even a ‘cheap’ burger, fries and a drink-type meal can cost up to $20 per person, so if you’re visiting as a family a basic counter service lunch in a theme park can cost upwards of $60. Multiply that over 14 days and you start to get an idea of the overall costs involved. So it’s always worth being in the know and taking advantage of the various deals and cheap dining options available throughout Orlando. 

All You Can Eat and Budget Buffets In the Theme Parks

All-you-can-eat buffets are fairly widespread around the Orlando theme parks and usually offer great value for money as you can literally eat as much as you want, allowing you to fill up the whole family with one meal. 

All You Can Eat Buffets around Orlando

It's not just the theme parks that have value-for-money buffets in and around Orlando! Whether you're looking for breakfast, lunch or dinner options these all-you-can-eat buffets will fill you up without emptying your wallet. 

Value for Money Sit-Down Restaurants in Orlando

Aside from the theme parks, Orlando is famous for its incredible food offerings, and it actually boasts almost 50 restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide, including some with Michelin stars! But that doesn't mean that there aren't affordable restaurants in Orlando either, and the following options are great for getting a cheap meal for the whole family. 

Kids Eat Free

The ‘Kids Eat Free’ deals are fairly common at many of the hotels, primarily in a bid to get hotel guests to eat there rather than elsewhere, but many are happy for non-hotel guests to eat there as well. The Howard Johnson and Holiday Inn chains are notable for this feature, but not all the hotels offer the Kids Eat Free promotion. Some participate seasonally and not necessarily at peak periods.

Very often the best thing is to keep an eye out when you first arrive, especially at nearby hotels. Many will advertise ‘kids eat free’ on billboards outside and it is then easy to check if these apply to hotel guests only or if anyone can take advantage of them.

Make sure you check out the AttractionTickets.com 'Kids Eat Free' card. This amazing value-for-money card offers unlimited children's meals over a 14-day holiday at more than 130 affordable restaurants, and you don’t have to drive around town wondering which locations might be participating during your stay.

Many other restaurant chains participate in this offer, but it may not be widely promoted. It's definitely worth enquiring at some of the restaurants listed below if you’re dining there:

• Beef O'Brady's
• Chick-Fil-A
• Chili's
• CiCi's Pizza
• Denny's
• Fazoli's
• Golden Corral
• IHOP (International House of Pancakes)
• Outback Steakhouse
• Pizza Hut
• Roadhouse Grill
• Shoney's 

Early Bird Specials, Daily Deals, and Discount Dining

As a general rule, Americans stick rigidly to the main mealtimes, hence 12-2pm and 6-8pm are the busiest possible times to head for a restaurant. Conversely, some restaurants offer ‘Early Bird Specials’ with limited-selection discounted dinner menus. However, these are increasingly less common than dollars-off coupons or rotating Daily Specials (your server will point out the daily specials if they are available).

Seniors (age 55 and over with photo ID) benefit from the Senior Discount at many restaurants (just say, “Do you offer a Seniors discount” when it comes to paying the bill), and some, like Perkins and Denny’s, even have a Seniors menu with smaller portions and smaller prices.

Miller’s Ale House

This eatery is perfect for families or large groups as it has pretty much everything on the menu, from burgers and sandwiches to steak and pasta. It’s also famous for its ‘Zinger Mountain Melt’ - a tower of fries topped with chicken tenders, cheese, bacon and spring onion. They have a different deal each day, so think about this before deciding your plans!

• Monday - 6-count Zingers for $9.99
• Monday and Tuesday - Baby Back Ribs for $15.99
• Tuesday - Kids Eat Free (with the purchase of a >$10 food item)
• Wednesday - 12-count Wings for $11.99 and 24-count Wings for $23.99
• Thursday and Sunday - Prime Rib starting at $19.99

Food Courts

The food courts at some of the shopping centres also offer better value for money than many of the standard restaurants, and you will probably find it easier to please all the family. The huge food court at the Florida Mall (Central Florida’s largest shopping centre) offers no fewer than 19 counter outlets from which to choose.

Similarly, the choice at the superb Mall at Millenia is wide-ranging and surprisingly health-conscious, with 12 good-value outlets, and the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores also boasts a decent food court where you can save a few dollars.

Happy Hours

• Bahama Breeze - Get $3 14-oz beer, $4 cocktails, $5 speciality drinks, $6 wine and sangria, and ½ price appetizers from 4-6pm every Monday to Friday
• Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar - Get food specials for $6.5-$8 and drink specials for $5-$7 from 5pm-6pm every weekday and 4pm-6pm on weekends
• Yard House - Get ½ off selected appetisers and all pizzas, $2 off draft beer, wine, spirits and cocktails, $3 off 9oz wine, and $4 off ‘half yards’ from 3pm-6pm every weekday and 10pm - close Monday to Wednesday (drinks only)
• STK Orlando - Get select light bites for $3-$9 and $9 signature cocktails and select wine by the glass from 2:30pm-6:30pm on weekdays, 2:30pm-5:30pm on weekends and 10pm - close Sunday to Thursday 

Dining Plans

Dining plans can not only save you money, but if you add one to your package or tickets at the time of booking and are paying with a deposit, you can spread the cost of your dining to help make it even more affordable. This also makes your holiday more enjoyable as you’re not worrying about budgets while deciding what to eat. 

Expert Tips for dining on a budget 

• Food portions

This being America, you should also be aware that food portions – whether for starters, main courses or desserts – are almost invariably large, and one main course can easily be enough for two. Just tell your waiter or waitress in advance you wish to share a dish and it will often be served on two plates for you. Be sure to tip as though you've both had a main meal, as this is something most Americans would do, and your server is likely to feel short-changed.

• Free ice water

When touring the parks – especially in the summer heat– it is absolutely vital to drink lots of water at regular intervals. But you don’t want to be paying $4 a bottle at the parks. Instead, bring your own reusable water bottles and get them filled up for free at quick-service locations throughout the theme parks with filtered ice water.

• Discount meal coupons

You should hunt down any number of Coupon booklets distributed in racks in all the main tourist areas, outside shops, in hotels and at some petrol stations and restaurants. These leaflets or booklets feature a range of money-saving deals, from 'kids eat free' promotions to free appetisers and two-for-one entrees. You can even pick up some vouchers in advance on a number of websites.

• Bring a picnic

Most of the theme parks let you take a small amount of food and drink in with you (as long as it doesn’t need to be cooked) so make the most of this if you’re on a budget. Head to a supermarket like Walmart or Target at the beginning of your trip and stock up on snacks and fresh fruit, as well as bread and fillings to make sandwiches. Most hotels will have a small fridge for you to keep any perishables.

• Plan ahead

Most table-service and buffet restaurants will get booked up in advance, so we’d recommend planning where you want to eat during your stay and making any reservations you need to - you don't want to be caught out and find that all the most affordable options are fully booked! Most menus have their prices available to view online, so do your research to find the best places to suit both your budget and your tastebuds!