How to Pick a Place to Eat as a Family Without Starting World War III
Ah, the age-old question: Where should we eat? Some see this as a delightful culinary adventure. Others? A fast track to frustration, hangry outbursts, and potential family mutiny. If you have a large family, this decision becomes a high-stakes negotiation that rivals international peace treaties.
With food prices soaring, eating out feels like taking out a small loan. So, how do we navigate this treacherous terrain? Let’s break it down into three classic travel scenarios:
1. Road Trip – Where Dreams (and Dietary Preferences) Go to Die
This is easily the toughest scenario because your options are usually limited to fast food, gas station snacks, or that sketchy diner where the “E” in “Eats” is flickering ominously.
Picture this: Mom asks, “Do you want McDonald’s, Arby’s, or Burger King?” And then it begins:
- The oldest: “McD’s is gross.”
- The middle child: “I can’t eat at Arby’s.”
- The youngest: “I just want ice cream.”
Congratulations, you’re now in a full-blown family debate where the loudest child usually wins, and the quiet one just sighs in defeat.
To stop these endless debates, we’ve developed a system: we rotate food choices by kid, starting from the youngest or oldest. Parents narrow down the options, and whoever’s turn it is gets to choose. Everyone else? Deal with it. It’s good for kids to learn that you don’t always get what you want, and food isn’t always a party in your mouth—sometimes it’s just something to fill you up. It was a miserable road trip that pushed us to teach this life lesson! Teaching kids that food isn’t always a gourmet experience helps build gratitude, flexibility, and resilience. Sometimes it’s fuel, not fireworks. And that’s okay!
It’s also a great way to curb picky eating habits and instill the idea that meals don’t need to be tailored to their exact preferences every time. Sometimes dinner’s just… dinner. Not everything can be a chicken nugget or mac and cheese moment, and that’s part of growing up.
Have you had to navigate this kind of conversation with your kids before?
For budget-friendly eats, we’ve learned a few tricks:
- Costco: The holy grail of cheap eats—$1.50 for a hot dog and drink, or a huge slice of Pizza for $1.99! We can feed the whole family for $20, which is basically a miracle. Throw in desserts and they are all happy for under $40!
- Taco Bell & Del Taco: Party packs = bulk food at budget prices.
- Panda Express: Their family meal feeds our four girls, but when the boys are with us, we have to add reinforcements. Still, we can escape for under $65, which is a win for a family of nine.
2. Destination Vacation – Fancy Places, Same Hungry Kids
Your food plan depends on your lodging situation:
a. Staying in a Rental (VRBO/Airbnb)
If we have a kitchen, we try to eat out once or twice a day (usually lunch—cheaper than dinner). That means grocery shopping for breakfast and dinner. The menu?
- Breakfast: Cereal, oatmeal packets, granola bars, bagels—nothing fancy.
- Dinner: Simple, go-to meals that keep everyone happy—ours are spaghetti, tacos, crockpot chicken, or sloppy joes. Quick, easy, reliable, and no one complains (well, usually). No one wants to slave over meals on vacation… unless that’s your thing. In that case—go for it! And invite me next time, because I’ll bring dessert.
When it comes to picking a lunch spot, we stick to our trusty road trip system: one kid chooses the cuisine (Mexican, Italian, etc.), and then we consult TripAdvisor, Yelp, or Google to find the top-rated place. It’s democracy in action—road trip edition. If it’s been a long day, we order in—usually something affordable like Chinese or pizza. Meals are almost always less expensive when you pick the entrées instead of letting each kid choose their own. You know what they like anyway! Family-style dinners get the job done, save your sanity, and keep the budget intact.
b. Staying in a Hotel
Hotels add another layer of complexity, so we always try to stay somewhere with free breakfast. When feeding nine people, avoiding a $100+ breakfast bill is a bonus.
Also, hotel snacks are non-negotiable. Kids are always hungry—especially in that late afternoon window when they’re too tired to function but still have just enough energy to whine about it. Need snack inspiration? Jerky is a great filler (actually lasts longer than 15 minutes), granola bars, applesauce (sometimes even the big kids want a pouch), peanut butter crackers, and those cookies you never buy at home—Chewy Chips Ahoy are my kids’ personal weakness. Oh, and microwave popcorn? Absolute hotel essential. It’s the little things that turn a basic hotel room into a mini vacation all on its own.
Mini fridges are perfect for easy, low-effort meals. Some of our go-tos: DIY lunchables with lunchmeat, sliced cheese, and crackers, or the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. We keep it super simple—less is more when you’re traveling. Ordering in is another hotel staple for us. After a long day, the kids are usually thrilled to kick back with a slice of pizza or a plate of chow mein. Eating out can be a blast, but I expect restaurant manners—so they’re more than happy to let their guard down and enjoy some chill, no-pressure meals in the room.
3. Cruising or All-Inclusive Resorts – Food, Food Everywhere
Cruise ships and all-inclusive resorts are basically food wonderlands—with buffets, fancy sit-down restaurants, poolside grills, and even “exclusive” dining experiences that promise something extra special. But here’s the truth from seasoned travelers: after enough cruises and resort stays, you start to realize that those specialty restaurants usually aren’t worth the extra cost. Sure, the ambiance might be a bit more upscale, and the plating fancier, but in terms of actual taste? The food in the main dining rooms is often just as good—and sometimes even better.
Don’t get me wrong, if you’re celebrating something special or just want a quieter dinner away from the crowds, paying for a specialty meal might be worth it for the vibe alone. But if you’re a family trying to travel smart, you absolutely don’t need to fork over extra cash to have a great dining experience. Cruises and resorts are built to entertain you with food. They want you to feel like you’re being spoiled, even if you never step foot in an upcharge restaurant. There’s always something available—whether it’s a midnight pizza bar, 24/7 room service, or a snack station by the pool. You will not go hungry. In fact, you’ll probably be eating more than you ever planned.
So don’t stress about food when booking your trip. The included dining options are more than enough to keep your belly full and your taste buds happy—especially when you consider the convenience of feeding an entire family without ever reaching for your wallet.
Our strategy:
- Cruise ships: Eat in the main dining room. They always have a special kids menu (chicken fingers and fries or burgers), but if your kids are like ours, they’ll order off the adults’ menu anyway! And if it’s not to your liking, then hit up the buffet afterward. Here’s our article on what’s included on a cruise.
- All-inclusives: Some let you hit the specialty restaurants for free, others try to charge you extra. If it costs more? Hard pass—we’re not paying $40 for fancy chicken when the buffet already has five kinds. If it’s included? Sure, we’ll try it. Worst case, we fake-smile through the meal, then make a stealthy second dinner run at the buffet like the classy vacationers we are. Here’s an article about one of the all inclusives.
At the end of the day, finding a place to eat as a family is a mix of strategic planning, compromise, and occasionally bribing kids with dessert. If all else fails? Costco hot dogs and pizza for the win!
