I guess I'm in minority since my husband and I only spent $20-30/meal when we were there last month. We used the Frommer's guide to find the cheap eats in Oahu. Food is the least of our concern when we travel. For others, it's a huge part of their vacation but for us, we'd rather spend money on windsurfing or scuba diving or any activities that we enjoy. I think there was a previous thread on cheap eats in Oahu. Just do a text search. Enjoy planning your trip.

To Keeping It Real -<BR><BR>I worked in the food industry for many years. Restaurants do not buy at the same cost of grocery stores. They buy from wholesalers at special rates.<BR><BR>Laura - I went to Hawaii about 15 years ago (when I was very young and very poor) and spent about $1000 for the whole trip including airfare, lodging etc. <BR><BR>We went to the grocery store and got sandwiches and made great picnics. Had a happy hour before going out to save spending on drinks and went out to dinner at moderately priced restaurants the rest of the time. <BR><BR>Now that I am older, I would prefer a little more luxury and better food!<BR><BR>So, like any other city in the US you can cheap food or expensive - your choice!<BR><BR>JB

A condo helps enormously with food costs and frequently is cheaper than a hotel. Maui, last May, .. maybe $50 or $60/day max for the two of us and that could've certainly been a whole lot cheaper. (BUT-- it's s'posed to be a vacation, right ?). We typically ate a good lunch (often with "umbrella" drinks) but usually had light breakfasts (POG & fruit) and suppers in the condo. If you're in a hotel environment then it'll be more expensive - you pays your $$ and takes your choice !<BR>Have a good 'un

I do the same as living large only I pan handle in front of all the five star hotels. I tell the poor suckers I am grubbing from that my wallet has been stolen and my luggage was lost by the airlines, then I go through all the luggage stored at the front of the hotels when the bellboys are not watching, grab some designer clothes and wine and dine myself into oblivion. Now this is how to vacation.

I wasn't at all "bragging" or "kidding" when I said we spent around $250/day eating when we stayed at the 4 Seasons Maui.<BR>It was our honeymoon, and we had a fabulous time eating fabulous food.<BR><BR>By the way, I AM a teacher. First grade.<BR><BR>It depends on what kind of vacation you are having, we decided to have a luxurious one staying in fabulous places and eating fabulous food. I can eat cereal and milk any day at home.

We usually just have coffee for breakfast then eat a light lunch. At dinner we usually have a big meal, bottle of wine and after dinner espresso and liquor. Our dinner bill alone is usually $180. For the entire day, 2 people....probably around $210.

Keeping it real, We have several bottles of Caymus in the cellar now. What exactly are you looking for? We also have a connection in the former sommelier of the Chanticleer in Nantucket who opened a wine shop and can get his hands on anything you can find in a restaurant.<BR><BR>If you can't find obscure wines then you don't know where to look.<BR><BR>His name is Michael Fahey, the shop is called Fahey and Fromagerie, (508) 325-5644, FAX (508) 325-5733 [email protected]. He'll be happy to ship you as many cases as you'd like of just about any wine you'd like.<BR><BR>Of course certain bottles in the over $1000 price range can only truly be found in restaurants. But everyone knows that only a real idiot who is trying to show off whould pay that much for a bottle and think it was worth it. Wines that expensive are to collect only, not to drink. The taste would never warrant the price.

People that say that the price of food in Hawaii is MUCH higher because Hawaii is remote, are just plain STUPID. It does cost to ship food to Hawaii, but do you realize how little. A gallon of milk in Hawaii cost close to six bucks versus two and a half on the mainland. Does it cost $3.50 to ship it? there are other articles which I can describe, but it suffices to say that the cost of shipment is negligible. Do you think they mail a box of cereal from Michgan to Hawaii? Do you think they UPS coffe, soft drinks, meat etc? The cost of shipment adds less that one percent to the price. The problem is greed and profiteering. If consumers would rise up and rebel, prices would come down. Wages in Hawaii are lower than other places, overhead is probably the same. The only explanation is good ole profit.

Ah we Americans, we wonder why they hate us. We think nothing of spending $60 for breakfast, and our first grade teachers like to eat "fabulous food in fabulous places"!<BR><BR>How about a $20 breakfast for a change, and a $40 donation to Feed The Children? <BR><BR>And let me guess....you $250-per-day people drive SUV's to the airport and can't go anywhere without your precious cell phone, right?

Excuse me, but I was just trying to point out it isn't just "rich" and "famous" people who like to have luxurious vacations.<BR>This first grade teacher saves all year so that she and her husband can have a nice, luxurious, expensive vacation. We think it's well worth the price, maybe you don't and that's just fine. I'm not looking for someone to pass judgement, just clarifying that if you are going to stay at an expensive place, well, the food isn't going to be cheap either.<BR>If I wanted to eat cereal and milk in my room, I'd get a condo with a kitchen. That isn't the kind of vacation I wanted or had. If you want luxury, you have to pay for it. It isn't free!<BR>

Laura (original poster) seemed to ask a relevant informational question so she'd know what options she has when<BR>she goes to Hawaii. Why don't those of you have have relevant experience, high end , low end or in the middle post some of your "numbers" and let's leave this post to them, with editorializing left out....

Hey Amy:<BR><BR>How about I spend $20 on breakfast and donate the other $40 to any organization that gives mandatory birth control to those who procreate thinking the rest of us will pick up the tab for them and their rugrats?

So who's gonna pick up the tab for teachers who haven't got brains enough to build themselves a nest egg, and will end up wanting Medicare to take care of their every need in 30 years? Why are so many young people living from paycheck to paycheck these days? Moving back in with their parents, grandparents raising and supporting the grandchildren, it is really getting ridiculous. All because nobody ever taught them how to budget, or taught them how their behavior ultimately effects others. <BR><BR>Fodors was originally created with bargain travel in mind, we really don't need to hear about who's buying $250 bottles of wine.

Amy -Just to set the record straight, I don't remember Fodors ever being about budget travel. I do believe that they set out to cover the gamut -inexpensive, moderate, and more costly travel. But, it always seems to me that their guide books highlight more of the expensive to very expensive hotels and restaurants than many of the other guide books do. You might be thinking about Frommers which publishes a budget travel magazine.<BR><BR>Why do so many people feel the need to be so judgemental and opinionated? Laura simply wanted to know what people spend for food in Hawaii, not have someone tell her, or anyone else, what they SHOULD spend. Than is a highly individual choice.<BR><BR>No one can be someone else's conscience. If you feel that you want to spend less on food and then have more money to donate to a charity, fine. But, if someone else who works very hard to earn their money wants to splurge on a vacation, that's fine too.<BR><BR>And, what makes some of you think that just because someone splurges on a nice vacation once or twice a year, they won't have enough money to retire. Why are soooo many people soooo concerned about what others spend?<BR><BR>I happen to agree with loveHI. She saves all year to enjoy a luxury vacation. How do you know that she won't be able to retire because of it? It is her privelege to decide how she would like to spend her money. How narrow-minded of some people to think that their way is the only right way to do something. <BR><BR>This is the second thread that I have read in the last few days that has turned into a judgement forum instead of a helpful, informational forum. If you do not like what you read here, if the content makes you angry or upset, don't read it! And, for those of you that have such a hard time reading about other people enjoying themselves or about them spending more money than you think they should, find a budget travel forum!

Travel, I'll answer why some people are judgemental. First of all Laura asked what people spend - that includes those who DON'T think it's wise to spend $ 250 on a bottle of wine, even though they can well afford it. <BR><BR>Some of us are constantly amazed by how others splurge. I find it very interesting. What's even more interesting is that it's usually the infrequent travelers and those who can least afford it who seem to think they "deserve" the best. Everyone believes they should live like the celebrities they read about or see on TV, without realizing that these people are in a whole other league financially. If you 100K a year schmucks think you can afford ultra expensive dinners, even on your annual vacations, you are in for a rude awakening. Hey, pau now or pay later people. These are probably the same people who put their vacations on credit cards and don't even have the cash on hand to pay for them, but then that's another thread.

What's with the "teachers". Looks like we are being hammered again. As teachers, we get only the summer to travel unless we spend the 'big bucks' during the holiday season or the spring break. Hawaii is 'high season' in summer. We don't have a chance! Retirement - my husband and I are saving like crazy and teaching our children to do the same. A $150-200 (for 2) meal is absolutely a waste of $$<BR>(in MY opinion, only). With the layoffs through our nation, stock market loses and the 'elderly issues'<BR>I think we all need to look at our spending habits and be prepared for a possible 'no social security possiblity'. Just my two cents.

getsome, Yes, Laura dis ask how much people spen, and that does include the people who don't like to spend $250 dollars a day. But all she wanted to know is how much they spend, not peoples' opinions on what is the correct or ethical amount to spend.

Sorry to have sounded off but it's just a pet peeve of mine. I don't think we really have a lot of racism in our country, it's just classism - the haves and the have nots. And it just worries me that so many young families don't know the value of a dollar. I see them spend-spend-spending on exotic vacations or brand new cars, and wonder how in the world they are ever going to pay for college. I agree that they will be in for a rude awakening, but I wish they could all WAKE UP NOW instead of later on at the expense of their kids. <BR>This culture of "bigger is better" that we've got in this country is really out of whack. Some things are SO expensive today, just because so many people are stupid enough to pay. Jump on the bandwagon, gotta have whatever is hyped the most. Who in the world in their right mind would pay $3.50 for a coffee??? Well, just look at the long lines at Starbucks. Its ridiculous, people! It's just COFFEE for goodness sakes!

I'd pay anything for a cup of coffee. last week my coffee maker broke and I was one of those people standing in line at Starbucks. I gotta have it. I gotta.

This for Keeping it real again,<BR><BR>I asked my husband if it was true that you could only get Caymus or Turley at a restaurant. He laughed and said he could walk into any wine shop in town right now and get it for $75-$100 a bottle. The info I gave you was for obscure wines, not common ones like you mentioned.<BR><BR>If you are the wine aficianado you claim to be, you should have no trouble getting those wines. Sherry Lehman in Manhattan is a good source if the town where you live doesn't cater to high end clientele. But then, you should know that far better than my husband who doesn't know "squat".