Dining out while traveling can get pretty expensive. Since
you can’t always get a vacation rental or a hotel with a kitchen(ette), then
you gotta find other ways to cut costs. If you get tired of sharing entrees or ordering some of
the cheapest things on the menu or going to budget restaurants, then consider
trying a variety of local cuisines at food carts and food carts. Let me tell
you why:
Food
carts are the new gourmet dining. Food trucks are all the rage.
They are booming the world over. Lucky for me, I live in the number one food
cart destination on the globe (as named by Travel + Leisure) and can eat
cuisine from all over the world everywhere I go within Portland. From ice cream
to Lebanese to Cuban, there is something for everyone, including this delicious
waffle cart that makes a dough for their waffles and then tops them with all
kinds of yummy combinations. Within the same block, we can have hot dogs,
Hawaiian, Thai, Mexican, dumplings and Mediterranean. That’s not even all the
choices! Each truck specializes in their few menu items, so you know it’s the
best it can be.
More
choices. How can this be when food carts are so small? Where there’s
one food cart/truck, there are usually others. It’s unlikely for several of the
same cuisine carts to gather in the same place, which means you have a choice
of different kinds of food. This is great for those traveling with kids who are
picky and never seem to want the same thing you are eating. Don’t like the
dessert one cart is serving? Go check out what the others have to offer!
Mobile
dining. Not only is your restaurant mobile, but you can also take
your food with you. Either eat nearby or enjoy your meal on your way through the
city. It’s a great way to burn calories and save time when you want to get more
sightseeing done.
Cheaper
meals. The truth is that even some of the spendiest items on a food
cart menu are still less than plates at a traditional restaurant. There’s no
dining room to fill with customers and staff, so overhead is much lower,
allowing them to charge you much less for similar food. You also save gratuity,
because instead of an expected 15-20% tip, you can leave a few dollars or none
at all (if there’s no tip jar) and not feel like you’re committing some heinous
faux pas.
Eat on-the-go for less and try many different dishes all in
one places. I love food carts. They are some of the best ways to try local
foods when you’re traveling and a fun way to interact with the residents of
your destination. Here are some photos of food cart food and my enjoyment of
them.
Where are some of your favorite
food cart travel destinations?
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