Price Guide: Eating in & out in the U.S.A

Eating in

One of the great benefits of 'vacation rentals' over hotels is that you can save money by eating some meals at home. This doesn't mean Mum needs to cook every night (particularly as most American properties have dishwashers!). Just stock up on breakfast and lunch basics to save cash for some flash dinners out.

12-pack of bagels	$8.45	Bread (1 loaf):	$3.29
Cream cheese (1pack):	$3.29	Ham (1 pack sliced):	$3.00
Pack of cornflakes	$2.49	Cheese (1 pack sliced):	$4.59
Milk (1 gallon):	$3.59	Brownie mix (box):	$3.29
'OJ' (64 fl. Oz):	$3.99	Apples (1lb):	$1.25
Coffee (1lb):	$3.31	Bananas (1lb):	$0.63
Mineral water (9fl.Oz):	$0.80	Coke (2 Litres):	$1.32
TOTAL: $43.29 / £22.54

Source: research by HomeAway

Eating out

In the good old US of A, you get much more bang for your buck when eating out and the portions are usually more than generous in their restaurants!

Average restaurant rates:

Low:	$3-10 per person
Mid:	$10-15 per person
High:	$15-20 per person
Deluxe:	$20+ per person

Tipping:

Tipping is expected in a café or restaurant. The going rate in restaurants is 15% or more of the bill, but you don't need to tip in a fast-food or self-service environment.

Source: http://www.lonelyplanet.com

« Back to the Top 10 properties & activities