Food Bill at the Resort

[happymommy]

You can expect to way overpay for mediocre food at best if you eat at aulani. We are a family of 3, bought the refillable cups, and the average breakfast alone was 60. I dont want to think about how much we payed for the buffet dinner for my son to eat a french fry. Monkeypod is a short walk and is really good. Most places offer aloha hour and have half priced drinks and appetizers. We ate way too many meals at aulani but also had a car and explored and tried some local places. Its definitely worth having a car. Outside of aulani i dont recall paying more for meals than i would at home dining out. Parking is high but it definitely counters food cost. I reccomend renting a car for that and to see the island. We are most excited to hit Giovanni’s shrimp truck when we come back in September. We also loved visiting the north shore and watching the surfers and having matsumotos shaved ice as well as teds bakery. The north shore was a highlight as simple as it was. We are kinda into food and loved hitting local places. There’s a target and Costco fairly close. I want to say maybe 4 miles. There’s options if you are willing to rent a car and I honestly don’t see any other way. It’s not worth paying for the food there.

While we stay next door (sort of) at the Marriott, we almost never eat there. Last summer I was there a month, and after our 2 weeks in the studio (just me and my youngest the first two weeks), we did have a burger for lunch at Longboard's while waiting for the one bedroom to be ready. View was lovely, burger fine but way overpriced. That was the only time in 31 nights that we ate at our resort.

We do enjoy eating appetizers and having drinks at Waikiki resorts (specifically the Moana), yes it's overpriced but holds a special place in our hearts (we used to go there all the time for Sunday appetizers and drinks or brunch when we lived there).

I've seen the prices at Aulani, and don't think it's worth it. We usually stay for at least two weeks, but next spring will be in Waikiki for a while then only a week at Ko Olina. I plan on simple breakfast in room and lunch or dinner in town or carry out. Not cooking much if only there a week; I want to relax. I don't mind if there a longer period of time though! Plus, next trip is only DH and me for the first time, so not worth cooking much for 2 IMHO. Rather go out.

 

[rocketriter]

For a little perspective: at Aulani you're not on some isolated desert island. It isn't Bali Ha'i! Ko Olina is more like a posh, resort-y neighborhood with lots of upscale condos with a highway nearby that leads into Honolulu. Across the street and a block down from Aulani is a pretty strip mall where you'll find stores, sundries, and a number of mid-priced dining options. The cost of living is high in Hawaii, not just for tourists but for everyone there, because so much that we take for granted has to be shipped in.

 

[pangyal]

Is there any food delivery like people get at WDW? I'm really wanting to go to Aulani, but I don't drive (I have a license but have not driven in 13 years and a rental car in a totally unfamiliar place is NOT the way to start back), and I'd like to have some options besides just what is there.

I guess I could always pack Luna bars and stuff...

We were there last February and were in the same situation (none of us were willing to drive) and we made multiple dinners in our room (bearing in mind that it was a dvc unit with a full kitchen). At the time, I had looked into food delivery and found nothing; I’m not sure if this has changed.

We went across the street to Monkeypod twice, ate at Aulani a few times, and went to the pizza place across the street, but mostly picked up food at the ABC store across the street. They were not cheap by any stretch, but some vegetables and a few pieces of meat grilled each night was very easy, plus the requisite pineapple for snacks and dessert. It definitely ended up being cheaper than eating at restaurants. The ABC also has to-go meals that are very reasonably priced and large enough to share or have leftovers. Having a car to get groceries would have been nice, and we thought about doing a grocery store run with a taxi, but ultimately decided that getting groceries at ABC would be fine and it was certainly not a situation where a car was necessary (at any point during our trip, btw).

 

[Dug720]

We were there last February and were in the same situation (none of us were willing to drive) and we made multiple dinners in our room (bearing in mind that it was a dvc unit with a full kitchen). At the time, I had looked into food delivery and found nothing; I’m not sure if this has changed.

We went across the street to Monkeypod twice, ate at Aulani a few times, and went to the pizza place across the street, but mostly picked up food at the ABC store across the street. They were not cheap by any stretch, but some vegetables and a few pieces of meat grilled each night was very easy, plus the requisite pineapple for snacks and dessert. It definitely ended up being cheaper than eating at restaurants. The ABC also has to-go meals that are very reasonably priced and large enough to share or have leftovers. Having a car to get groceries would have been nice, and we thought about doing a grocery store run with a taxi, but ultimately decided that getting groceries at ABC would be fine and it was certainly not a situation where a car was necessary (at any point during our trip, btw).

Thanks! So the ABC store is a supermarket? I thought it was Alcoholic Beverage Control!

 

[pangyal]

Thanks! So the ABC store is a supermarket? I thought it was Alcoholic Beverage Control!

No worries, we don’t have those in Canada so I had no idea what it was either before researching tips for Aulani, lol. It’s a small supermarket with produce, meats, packaged foods, and staples. And wine/beer .

 

[Dug720]

No worries, we don’t have those in Canada so I had no idea what it was either before researching tips for Aulani, lol. It’s a small supermarket with produce, meats, packaged foods, and staples. And wine/beer .

Thanks for the explanation! I'd seen people mention going to the ABC store, but given what that usually is in many US states, I just assumed they were going there for alcohol. LOL.

 

[alohamom]

Here is a link for ABC Stores so if you are unfamiliar with them you can get an idea of what they sell. They are all over Waikiki and on the other islands as well.

https://www.abcstores.com/

Island Country Markets in Ko Olina is a sister store and carries the same things as well as having a larger grocery section, liquor and deli then the regular ABC stores.

I really like how they have taken it to the next level at Island Country Markets, it is fun to shop there for sure. The prices are higher than other grocery stores in Kapolei but the convenience is worth it if you dont have a rental car

http://islandcountrymarkets.com/




and the Yelp link has some great pictures too,

https://www.yelp.ca/biz_photos/island-country-markets-kapolei-3

 

[SteveNZ]

Aside from everything already mentioned here, Uber Eats also delivers to Aulani. If you have the app on your phone, open it now and enter Aulani as the destination and you’ll be able to see choices and prices. Something for all budgets.

 

[alohamom]

Aside from everything already mentioned here, Uber Eats also delivers to Aulani. If you have the app on your phone, open it now and enter Aulani as the destination and you’ll be able to see choices and prices. Something for all budgets.

Thanks so much for posting this!

We live in a very rural area and Uber Eats is not something we can use so it never occurred to me to even consider it for Aulani.

I might have to use it just for fun next time.

 

[southerngirl528]

For a little perspective: at Aulani you're not on some isolated desert island. It isn't Bali Ha'i! Ko Olina is more like a posh, resort-y neighborhood with lots of upscale condos with a highway nearby that leads into Honolulu. Across the street and a block down from Aulani is a pretty strip mall where you'll find stores, sundries, and a number of mid-priced dining options. The cost of living is high in Hawaii, not just for tourists but for everyone there, because so much that we take for granted has to be shipped in.

This is an excellent explanation. And accurate. Hawaii IS very expensive, and if we as tourists do not like the high prices (yes, I know, as tourists we frequent the "tourist" places for the most part), just IMAGINE how the locals feel when milk is over $8 a gallon??

One thing I do not see folks taking about here, is that the food portions are generally quite LARGE at Aulani, plenty large enough to share in most cases unless you have teenage boys or lumberjacks in your family. I love the oatmeal bowl with fruit at AMA AMA for breakfast, but it is HUGE. Seriously huge. Big enough for at least 2 people to share, which brings down that price per person. They have a great chopping salad at lunch which is also huge, and easy to share. For those of us that are DVC members, or renting a villa, we have at minimum a small fridge, microwave, coffee maker and toaster. If you really want to save a lot of money, go buy some items that you can fix in your villa. Split meals. Go to Aloha Hours.

While I entirely agree and understand that prices ARE high in Hawaii, we have to remember that Hawaii is the most remote island chain on the planet, and as rocketriter said, EVERY things pretty much must be shipped in. That alone adds a big chunk to the price. And please remember not to complain to much when out and about, as it can be offensive to those trying to work 2 or 3 jobs just to survive.

 

[SteveNZ]

One thing I do not see folks taking about here, is that the food portions are generally quite LARGE at Aulani

Agree. The pizzas from Ulu Cafe are HUGE - we are a family of 4 and we couldn’t finish one between us, and it was only about $24. And delicious!

 

[southerngirl528]

Agree. The pizzas from Ulu Cafe are HUGE - we are a family of 4 and we couldn’t finish one between us, and it was only about $24. And delicious!

Good to hear about the yummy pizza from Ulu's! Thanks SteveNZ!