Eating Out in Florida

By James | Last updated December 28, 2023

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Eating out in Florida is cheap compared to say most European countries and there is a wide choice of cuisine and types of restaurants.

Fast food restaurants are everywhere but particularly for families there is plenty of other options:

there are lots of family restaurants where you can buy a meal with an ‘all you care to eat’ buffet for a fixed price,
the traditional American diner serving burgers and sandwiches
and speciality themed restaurants and dinner shows

Few meals include vegetables and if you have vegetables, you might be surprised by what you get. Believe me, green beans in maple syrup are an acquired taste.

In a lot of Floridian restaurants the lunch and dinner menus are almost identical, but the lunch menu is a lot cheaper. To save money, eat your main meal at lunchtime (and avoid the midday sun) and just have a snack for dinner.

Main courses (called entrées) come with salad. This is served as a course on its own (before the entrée), not as a side salad, and can be substantial, so be careful as you can end up being full before your main course arrives!

Waiters are extremely helpful. If what you want is not on the menu, it is worth asking if it might be available.

Tipping is common practise in the USA and 15-20% of your bill is the expected amount. Look out for coupons in free visitor guides, most restaurants offer discounts and special offers.

One place where you will find it quite expensive to eat is in Florida’s theme parks so why not read our advice on eating cheaply at Florida’s theme parks.

Remember, if you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, then you can purchase a Disney Dining Plan which will give you a certain number of snacks, quick service and table service meals each day for an all inclusive price. Similar one day deals are now available from Universal Studios, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens.