Is dining out in Oahu expensive? (Aiea: fit in, live, restaurant)

[relocater2HI78]

I'm relocating to Oahu. Where I live now I dine out most of my meals. I just don't like to cook. Is dining out in Oahu about the same cost as in the mainland?

When I dine out per day I typically spend $7-$12 on lunch and about the same for dinner. Unless it is the weekend and I go out for sit down dinner and drinks than I may pay up to $30.

If it's about the same, I'll just continue to dine out for my meals instead of going to the grocery store.

When I'm here where I live and go to the grocery store I feel I pay a lot for nothing and end up wasting a lot.

[hotzcatz]

You should be able to find food around that amount, but it may not be the same sort of dining as you are used to. There are a lot of lunch trucks around, as well as "mini" versions of some of the entrees which may keep you within budget. Sit down dinner with drinks will probably be a bit more, too.

If you search out some less expensive places for eating you may manage, but if you aren't careful it's real easy to go over the numbers you mentioned.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by relocater2HI78

I'm relocating to Oahu. Where I live now I dine out most of my meals. I just don't like to cook. Is dining out in Oahu about the same cost as in the mainland?

When I dine out per day I typically spend $7-$12 on lunch and about the same for dinner. Unless it is the weekend and I go out for sit down dinner and drinks than I may pay up to $30.

If it's about the same, I'll just continue to dine out for my meals instead of going to the grocery store.

When I'm here where I live and go to the grocery store I feel I pay a lot for nothing and end up wasting a lot.

You can certainly get by spending $7-12 per meal in Oahu - but you may need to change your eating out habits.

My rule of thumb for anyone is expect the exact same restaurant in Oahu to be up to 50% higher here in Oahu - things like Chili's.

Some of my favorites is the pizza commercials - the $10 any size/any toppings - those are $15.99 here - when they say on TV, may be higher in Alaska or Hawaii - they mean it.

And we have it easy in Oahu. its even worse on the other islands - you can't even do Burger King for $7......

[Kualoa]

There are literally hundreds of places on Oahu you can choose to eat at in those price ranges. With so much variety of good food here dont even waste your time on the national chains like Red Lobster and Chili's once you get here. Be aware that alot of "hole in the wall" places make great stuff to eat but take only cash....

[eureka1]

Stick to the drive-ins and plate lunch places and you'll do fine.

[MovingAloha]

There are so many "Cheap Eats" around the island. On one of the local news channels, they have a weekly "Cheap Eats" highlighted. Also, if you just walk or drive around you'll see all sorts of small eateries that will fit into your price range. Even some of the Trucks that serve "Plate Lunches" are very good, some even offer healthier fare than you might think.

[Dthraco]

As others have stated, that budget will work for eating out. Dinner might be a bit more depending on what you like. There are TONS of places to eat out in the Aiea/Pearlridge areas.

One thing that was a rather large adjustment for me was that when you eat asian food and order chicken, it's not just white meat chicken breast. It's all kinds of chicken meat and fat too. You can request white meat, but it is not assumed like it is on the mainland. I'm not a fan of chicken fat.

As far as the grocery store...depends on the type of person you are. If you like to cook your dinner and make a lunch, you can really save on your total food costs. You just have to be interested in doing that. Once the interest is there, you learn how to get what you need. If that's not your cup of tea, no worries. Everyone is different.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Dthraco

As others have stated, that budget will work for eating out. Dinner might be a bit more depending on what you like. There are TONS of places to eat out in the Aiea/Pearlridge areas.

One thing that was a rather large adjustment for me was that when you eat asian food and order chicken, it's not just white meat chicken breast. It's all kinds of chicken meat and fat too. You can request white meat, but it is not assumed like it is on the mainland. I'm not a fan of chicken fat.

As far as the grocery store...depends on the type of person you are. If you like to cook your dinner and make a lunch, you can really save on your total food costs. You just have to be interested in doing that. Once the interest is there, you learn how to get what you need. If that's not your cup of tea, no worries. Everyone is different.

That's an excellent point about the chicken, its often mystery meat - and for all those suggestions about plate lunches, lets hope the op like rice.

[MovingAloha]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

That's an excellent point about the chicken, its often mystery meat - and for all those suggestions about plate lunches, lets hope the op like rice.

That is true. I would always ask for only one scoop rice vice the two and sometimes I would get no rice and replace it with salad (dressing on the side).

Yea, is it because the dark meat of the chicken is cheaper? I did not eat in Zippy's much and the one time I went to get chicken, I was surprised that the bucket would be all dark meat.

Man, do I miss the Chantilly Cake at Napoleon's Bakery and the CoCo Puffs from Liliha Bakery.

[hotzcatz]

There is more to a chicken than just white meat and if the folks making the plate lunches are getting low cost chickens they are probably whole birds or something less processed than white meat only. On the mainland they have huge processing and food manufacturing plants that can use the other parts of the chicken for various things while in Hawaii if the folks making the lunches didn't use all the meat it would go to waste.

I fed some rooster soup to someone last week and they picked out all the pieces of dark meat. I find that really strange since the dark meat is more moist and flavorful than the drier white meat. Why would someone choose something bland, dry and tasteless on purpose?