Dining at resort breakfast buffets every morning of your Hawaii vacation can quickly become a hidden cost that steals your vacation budget. Most breakfast buffets in Hawaii range from $15 to $35 per person. From my observation, the average breakfast buffet costs around $25 per person. A couple traveling to Hawaii for a week can easily spend $350 on breakfast buffets. To put that in perspective, that’s probably more that what a couple would spend on their grocery bill for an entire month at home.
When it comes to buffets, there’s common mentality that you need to get your money’s worth. Well, at $25 per person, that’s a heck of a lot of breakfast calories. Returning from vacation with a larger waistline isn’t the kind of souvenir most of us want to bring home.
It’s a treat to splurge on the breakfast buffet one or two days of your trip – you are on vacation, after all. Maybe you’d like to save some money to spend on a tour or a meaningful souvenir. If you’d like to save a bit of cash and calories on your breakfast in Hawaii,consider these more affordable alternatives:
– Many resorts have a coffee shop on-site that also sells fruit cups, yogurt and pastries. Check to see if your resort does.
– Ask if the hotel restaurant serves an ala carte breakfast menu. By ordering from the a la carte menu, you can have a nutritious and filling breakfast for a fraction of the buffet cost.
– Pick up some breakfast items at the grocery store. Most resort rooms have a mini refrigerator where you can store juice, fruit, etc.
– Bring granola and breakfast bars from home.
– Find a restaurant that’s a favorite for locals.They know where to find the best restaurants at the best prices. Plus, you get a little insight into the local culture. (See eat where the locals eat.)
– Look for hotel deals offer free daily breakfast. That sort of deal has been fairly common recently.
These are strategies we’ve used to save money on breakfasts in Hawaii. What strategies have you used?
Sheila Beal
7 comments
My strategy is to sleep until it’s lunch time–skipping breakfast altogether! 😛
OK, with jetlag that rarely happens.
Pastries from the grocery store is my favorite. Also, if you book an early morning excursion, check to see if they serve breakfast. Most provide you with a continental breakfast–or at least coffee and a muffin!
well, ya know, one needs some portuguese sausage!!!!….(if ya eat meat,hawaii is it. can’t have a b’fast without!)
What is Portuguese sausage?
Gajen – It’s a long, spicy sausage that’s pretty tasty. Portuguese sausage is very popular in Hawaii. You’ll even find in in McDonalds.
Many folks from Portugal moved to Hawaii, which adds to Hawaii’s diverse culture. They brought their sausage to the islands…and the rest is history. 🙂
Oooh, love this post!
Farmers Markets! They don’t happen every day, but there are many to choose from in the islands. Visitors can pick up fresh tropical fruits (of course!) or choose from a variety of meals to munch. My favorite market on the Big Island has a crepe vendor who makes amazing crepes that are easily big enough for two people – and they’re just $8-9. I’ve been meaning to write about that…
@ Andy – good point about combining breafast with a tour.
@ Kris – Farmers Market’s rock! Here’s our post on where to find Farmers Markets in Hawaii: https://govisithawaii.com/2010/03/15/where-to-find-farmers-markets-in-hawaii/