The Real Cost of Eating & Drinking in NYC

While New York City is home to some of the best restaurants and cuisine in the world, the price of eating out can come as a shock to many visitors.

In this article, we’re going to explore the real cost of eating and drinking in New York City and give you some tips to save money and budget effectively for your meals while visiting New York City.

Let’s do it. 👇

Note: This article was written by a real human who lives in NYC, not artificial intelligence. 🥸

Cost of Eating in NYC Podcast Episode

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The $19 $30 Pasta Bill

A very common experience is walking past a restaurant in New York City and seeing something like fettuccine Alfredo for $19. You may think to yourself, “Wow, that’s actually pretty fairly priced.”

After eating your pasta and possibly adding on an iced tea, you go to pay, and that $19 pasta has suddenly turned into $30…

For many travelers, the sticker shock of eating out in New York City can come as a real surprise. And this becomes especially true when eating at sit-down restaurants where the “true cost” never equals what you actually see on the menu.

The longer we live in New York City, the less we are shocked by food prices, but that is only a sign of our own succumbing to the sadness that is restaurant prices in America’s most diverse food city.

Average Prices at Restaurants in New York City

While the true costs can vary widely, we’re going to give you a breakdown of common price ranges to expect at sit-down restaurants in New York City. Here’s what you’ll often find for food prices in NYC:

• 10-$25 per appetizer
• $20-35 per entrée
• $8-15 per dessert

And here are average alcohol costs at restaurants in NYC:

• $9-12 per beer
• $12-16 per glass of wine
• $15-25 per cocktail

The biggest factor that can make what seems like a cheap meal very expensive is the hidden costs of eating out in the city. ⤵️

Hidden Costs of Restaurant Dining in NYC

While a $20 pasta can feel somewhat fair, the challenge is that the price you see on the menu is never what you’ll actually pay.

There are two reasons why bills at New York City restaurants always end up inflating beyond what you were expecting:

1. Tax
2. Tipping

At all New York City dining establishments, you will pay an 8.875% tax on your bill. There is no bargaining with that; that is just how it works. Unlike many other countries and large cities across the world, restaurants in New York City do not bake tax into the cost you see on the menu.

Additionally, New York City tipping culture, and America as a whole, has a direct expectation that you will tip when dining at a sit-down restaurant. While the average is around 18%, tipping less than 15% is considered somewhat disrespectful for standard-quality service. If you feel as if your waiter or restaurant staff went above and beyond, 20% is very fair. If it was exceptional, you can tip higher, but by no means do you need to feel pressured to tip more than 20%.

While many restaurants have begun suggesting 20% tipping as the “low” option and 25% as the “high” option on their payment tablets or checks, we believe you don’t need to feel pressured to do so, and that 18% is still a fair tip in 2026.

So you can quickly see that a $20 pasta now turns into $20 plus 8.875% tax and then another 20% for a tip. That $20 pasta quickly became over $25.While these ranges can vary widely, we’re going to give you a rough breakdown on how you should budget for food when traveling to New York City.

What Should You Budget for Eating Out in New York City?

Properly budgeting and setting realistic expectations for eating out in New York City are vital to staying within your means during your trip.

🥯 Breakfast will, on average, cost $10 to $30. The $10 range is for something like a bagel, whereas the $30 range is more for a sit-down breakfast restaurant or a diner.

🥗 Lunch will, on average, cost $15 to $30. The $15 range is for something like a bowl or salad at a fast-casual place, and $30 is more if you opt for a sit-down restaurant.

🍽️ Dinner will likely be your most expensive meal of the day. Dinner will, on average, cost $30 to $60. The $30 range is for meals where you might just get one entree, and the $60 range is for meals that include appetizers and/or dessert.

Of course, it is very easy to go well above any of these ranges, but these are realistic numbers for you to expect when eating out in New York City.

Overall, you should plan to budget around $50 to $125 per person per day for eating out in New York City.

Related Reading: NYC Cheap Eats – 10 Meals for $10 (or Less)

Money-Saving Tips for Eating Out in New York City

While eating out in New York City can become very expensive, it is possible to save money. Here are some tips to help you do that:

• Share an appetizer and entree
• Lunch specials and happy hours
• Bodega beers
• Takeout vs. dining in

Share an Appetizer & Entree

If you’re traveling with one other person, sharing an appetizer and entree at a restaurant is one of the best ways to save money on eating out. This allows you to still enjoy the appetizer and entree courses while reducing costs.

If you’re traveling with a handful of people, opting for family-style can be a great way to save a little money as well.

Lunch Specials and Happy Hours

Many restaurants, especially in corporate neighborhoods like Midtown and the Financial District, will offer wonderful lunch specials. Many of them will include an appetizer, entree, and sometimes even a dessert for less than $20.

Additionally, many New York City restaurants offer happy hours, and those sometimes even include food. Most happy hours in New York City start around 4:00 p.m. and will end at either 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. In general, happy hours will save you a few dollars on drinks and sometimes $5 to $7 on food, depending on the restaurant’s menu and specials.

Bodega Beers

Alcohol prices at New York City restaurants are becoming alarmingly high. One way to save money if you still want a drink before or after your meal is to grab a beer from a bodega. Bodegas are somewhat like convenience stores, and you can find them on most corners of New York City streets.

Well, it is technically not legal to drink on the streets of New York. Often, if you don’t cause a problem, it won’t become one. Also, keeping your drink covered is the smart choice.

Related Reading: Best Cheap Bars in NYC

Takeout vs. Dining In

One of the best ways to save money when eating out in New York City is to order takeout rather than dine in. Certainly, the experience of dining at a restaurant- the ambiance, being waited on- is ideal, but you are expected to tip 15-20% on that meal.

So, by ordering takeout, you can essentially cut your bill by 20%.

You could take your meal back to your hotel or, if the weather is nice, into a park or on a bench somewhere and save yourself 20%.

Costs of Restaurants in NYC & What to Budget + Next Steps

While we mostly focused on the costs, which is often a downside of eating out in New York City, remember that NYC has one of the most diverse, authentic, and delicious food scenes in the entire world.

You can try Ethiopian food, cooked by someone born and raised in that country, and just around the corner get classic Southern comfort food from someone who lived most of their life in Louisiana.

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