Euro budget needed for food on Frances

[Cynthia Gwynn]

I am wondering what is a daily budget for food on the Frances? I'm also wondering if most restaurants of the type where you sit down for your big meal of the day typically take credit cards or is it recommended that you bring enough Euros for all dining?
Many thanks, Cynthia

 

[Marbe2]

Most restaurants take visa or Mastercard on the CF. Most have tap technology. With the rise in Omircron2 it is safer. It depends on your budget?
If you want the menu del dia which most of us do (not pilgrim menu)figure about 14-18 Euros a day. Includes wine or coffee.
breakfast about €5, coffee €1.5
Sandwich €5-7
Coke €2
I would budget a minimum of €30 for sit down food per day…more for fine dining!

If shop only in Supermarkets, skimp… cook your own food, don’t eat out, you can do it for €20.

 

[Cynthia Gwynn]

This is very helpful. Thank you for your thoughtful response.

 

[Cynthia Gwynn]

You mention tap technology. My credit card is a chip. Will that still work?

 

[henrythedog]

You mention tap technology. My credit card is a chip. Will that still work?

If it has a symbol like this on it

 

[Former member 92300]

I think Marbe2 gave you a good sampling of prices. I didn't find prices to be quite as much as she listed most of the time, but better to overestimate rather than under estimate. If you are looking to get actual meals for lunch AND dinner - you might want to budget a bit more. Most people tend to have the full meal at dinner. I sometimes did it at lunch instead. Some people did it at both. You can also spend less on dinner if you aren't as hungry and order Racions instead of the Menu del Dia.

I also wanted to mention - you don't need to plan to bring ALL of your Euros with you - I think most of us find it more convenient to stop at ATM's in the bigger cities. I took out about 300 Euros in big cities and that carried me - I used mostly cash on my 2021 Camino. This summer - when paying at bars and albergues for meals - they still preferred cash.

My chip card worked everywhere I attempted to use it.

Regarding cooking - many kitchens were closed due to COVID - but we still managed to have some good grocery store meals. Hoping more kitchens are open this summer, but not counting on it!

 

[Roland49]

10-12€ per Pilgrim's menue (very good).
1,5-2€ Cafe con leche
3-4,5€ for breakfast
2-3€ for a big glass of fresh Orangejuice

Per person you can go from 10€ per day (self-catering, shopping in grocery) up to 50€ per day if you wish to eat luxurious.

 

[Stinky Pilgrim]

Stingy Nomads has a complete budget write up, for food, etc.

The cost of walking the Camino de Santiago in 2024 - STINGY NOMADS

How much does it cost to walk the Camino de Santiago? The cost of accommodation, food, transport, laundry, etc. A detailed budget breakdown

stingynomads.com

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

If it has a symbol like this on it:



View attachment 121142

Also ones like this...my card is about 5 years old, is chip plus PIN, and has worked everywhere it's been used in Spain and Portugal, this year...2022.

 

[henrythedog]

If it has a symbol like this on it



View attachment 121142

… it has the capability to operate contactless (tap). I’d suggest you check with your card-issuer to find out if it’s enabled.

 

[Marbe2]

You mention tap technology. My credit card is a chip. Will that still work?

Yes, Chip is fine. They will put it in the machine as we do. But-they also have tap technology. Most of our cards are now issued with it. Mostly, we do not use the PIN as they do in Europe. If you have tap technology it is easier to use…but your card will work with the chip. ALWAYS, pay the bill in EUROS! when the server comes with the machine tell him/her preemptively ,that you want to play in euros. Your will get a better conversion rate from your credit card company. See if you can use a card that has no conversion fees as well.

 

[trecile]

You can also spend less on dinner if you aren't as hungry and order Racions instead of the Menu del Dia.

The menú del día is not usually offered for dinner in Spain, but a similar type of meal called the menú peregrino is offered in many bars/restaurants on the Camino.

It consists of two plates, dessert, and your choice of wine, beer, or water. Typical choices for the first course (primer plato) are lentil soup, mixed salad or pasta. Second course offerings are often a choice of fish, chicken, pork, or beef and French fries or another type of potato. Price is usually €10-€12.

If you aren't very hungry you can save money by ordering just one plate - you will still get the dessert and beverage.

Lots of times I prefer to have two options from the first course choices, such as salad and pasta. Whenever I've asked I haven't been refused.

 

[trecile]

For payment where credit cards are accepted you can use Apple Pay or Google Pay.
I find it easier to pull out my phone than a credit card.

 

[lt56ny]

Most restaurants take visa or Mastercard on the CF. Most have tap technology. With the rise in Omircron2 it is safer. It depends on your budget?
If you want the menu del dia which most of us do (not pilgrim menu)figure about 14-18 Euros a day. Includes wine or coffee.
breakfast about €5, coffee €1.5
Sandwich €5-7
Coke €2
I would budget a minimum of €30 for sit down food per day…more for fine dining!

If shop only in Supermarkets, skimp… cook your own food, don’t eat out, you can do it for €20.

You can do it for even much less than that shopping in a supermarket. I have had filling decent lunches and dinners for about 10. If you cook with others in the albergue and I am sure more and more kitchens are opening you can have amazing dinners for less than 5 euros each. I have done this many times. The more people the less money and have had my most memorable delicious meals this way and memorable connections also. A few years ago, in winter, even though I walked alone there was a group of about 10-12 pilgrims walking separately but staying in the same albergue at night. There were 2 young chefs from Italy and one from Spain and wowwwwwww did they love to cook for us and double woooowwwwww were our dinners. Most nights they asked about 3 or 4 euros from each of us. That included dinner and some really cheap wine of course.

 

[Albertagirl]

There is no mention above of those donativo albergues which cook for pilgrims. I believe that there are still a few on the Frances, although I cannot say whether they have been doing so during the pandemic, or whether they will be doing so this year. If so, you will pay what you can for your evening meal and breakfast. I have always made a point of paying twenty euros for my bed (or mat) and meals. The donativos must have enough money to buy food to cook and to keep the building functioning. Another inexpensive option which has been mentioned is buying food in a grocery store. This does not always need to involve cooking in the albergue. Sometimes you can put together an inexpensive meal of a packaged salad and a main course which can be served as is or heated in a microwave (available at many albergues). If you must eat very cheaply, the grocery stores will be your best resource, depending on whether there is a kitchen which you can use in the albergue. Communal cooking can be great for some, but as a vegetarian I often prepare my own meals and try not to monopolise cooking facilities. As a hospitalera, I would wish that pilgrims clean the kitchen after themselves.

 

[Former member 92300]

There is no mention above of those donativo albergues which cook for pilgrims. I believe that there are still a few on the Frances, although I cannot say whether they have been doing so during the pandemic, or whether they will be doing so this year. If so, you will pay what you can for your evening meal and breakfast. I have always made a point of paying twenty euros for my bed (or mat) and meals. The donativos must have enough money to buy food to cook and to keep the building functioning. Another inexpensive option which has been mentioned is buying food in a grocery store. This does not always need to involve cooking in the albergue. Sometimes you can put together an inexpensive meal of a packaged salad and a main course which can be served as is or heated in a microwave (available at many albergues). If you must eat very cheaply, the grocery stores will be your best resource, depending on whether there is a kitchen which you can use in the albergue. Communal cooking can be great for some, but as a vegetarian I often prepare my own meals and try not to monopolise cooking facilities. As a hospitalera, I would wish that pilgrims clean the kitchen after themselves.

When I walked - the donativos that I stayed at DID still do the dinners. BUT... most donativos had closed due to COVID. Hoping more are open this summer when I go back.

 

[J Willhaus]

When I walked - the donativos that I stayed at DID still do the dinners. BUT... most donativos had closed due to COVID. Hoping more are open this summer when I go back.

We received word that most all of the donativos that are staffed by Federation volunteers are planning to be open this year and there were 13 Federation staffed albergues on all of the various caminos that were open at least part of last year (normally many more). Some do offer a communal meal. Granon always has and continued that tradition when they reopened late last fall. They also provide breakfast. At other albergues where I have served, both Zamora Municipal and St. Michael in Estella serve breakfast and meals were often cooked together in the evenings by pilgrims. As of last week, someone has reported that the kitchen is closed at Zamora, but hospitaleros are still serving breakfast. At Caldazilla de los Herminillos the kitchen was closed last fall and only a microwave was available. No breakfast or meal.

We are serving this summer at Canfranc Pueblo for FICS and I believe breakfast is provided there, but no evening meal. They will reopen this year on April 1 with a new name, as I understand it. Not sure if the kitchen will be open for pilgrims, but maybe @Rebekah Scott or one of the other hospitaleros can let us know.

 

[trecile]

I've been to this place, but I can't say I liked it. pretty good food, but nothing more.

What place would that be?

 

[Bristle Boy]

What place would that be?

It's a secret

 

[Marcus-UK]

Most restaurants take visa or Mastercard on the CF. Most have tap technology. With the rise in Omircron2 it is safer. It depends on your budget?
If you want the menu del dia which most of us do (not pilgrim menu)figure about 14-18 Euros a day. Includes wine or coffee.
breakfast about €5, coffee €1.5
Sandwich €5-7
Coke €2
I would budget a minimum of €30 for sit down food per day…more for fine dining!

If shop only in Supermarkets, skimp… cook your own food, don’t eat out, you can do it for €20.

Having just come back from vacation in Spain and Portugal I have noticed most restaurants even tiny ones, have started to use On-Line Menus to avoid the possible spread of Covid via contact with an infected menu.
This means that you need a data plan on your smartphone along with the QR reader to read the link to the menu, which is usually found on the table. Wifi is also generally available at most restaurants.

 

[LavanyaLea]

If you are looking to get actual meals for lunch AND dinner - you might want to budget a bit more. Most people tend to have the full meal at dinner. I sometimes did it at lunch instead. Some people did it at both.

This is tricky for me. I was always very hungry when I finished walking, so a 3-course menu del día was very tempting. Then I became so full and sleepy, and also dinner at restaurants start late, so in this situation I would buy groceries for light dinner and breakfast. If I managed to time my “lunch” correctly and had a bocadillo just before I finished walking, then I would have proper meal for dinner.

The worst that can happen is waking up in the middle of the night hungry with no food available, it has happened to me when cycling

 

[Mananath]

For payment where credit cards are accepted you can use Apple Pay or Google Pay.
I find it easier to pull out my phone than a credit card.

Yes. This. I recently setup gpay on my phone and I can't believe I resisted for so long. It is very convenient - no need to fish through your wallet for a card and no need to sign! It saves a few seconds per transaction but really it feels like minutes haha

 

[Grousedoctor]

Having just returned from the CP, the comments above are pretty much spot on regarding the cost of eating. As we all eat slightly differently, I’ll share my routine with you. First, café con leche and a pastry were my typical breakfasts (around €3). A mid-morning snack usually in a café/bar of more coffee and a slice of tortilla (€3-4). Because by lunch I typically still had further to walk, a small bocadillo and something cold to drink (€4-5)) would be just enough until I would stop for the day. Enjoying a cold beer or two (€1.5-3) after a day on The Way was part of my routine and also a time to sit and visit with fellow pilgrims. Dinners varied, but most were probably in the €12-15 range. So, €30 a day budgeted should do you well, but you can certainly cut that down some by visiting grocery stores for snacks or even ingredients for dinners. Buen Camino!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

In Spain my recollections are
*Breakfast: cafe con leche and pastry, or an egg/meat mini-bocadilla if available.
*Morning snack- fresh squeezed OJ.
*Lunch- usually home-made bocadilla w/meat, cheese and olives, a few nuts and banana.
*Mid day rest- chocolate w/nuts.
*Dinner- definitely a hot meal w/wine, preferably if I'm early a menu del dia, otherwise pilgrim meal (I had a few exceptional meals off "real" paper menus).
Not sure on my costs, but I think around $25 a day for food.

 

[hikentravel1234]

Most restaurants take visa or Mastercard on the CF. Most have tap technology. With the rise in Omircron2 it is safer. It depends on your budget?
If you want the menu del dia which most of us do (not pilgrim menu)figure about 14-18 Euros a day. Includes wine or coffee.
breakfast about €5, coffee €1.5
Sandwich €5-7
Coke €2
I would budget a minimum of €30 for sit down food per day…more for fine dining!

If shop only in Supermarkets, skimp… cook your own food, don’t eat out, you can do it for €20.

I have been on the camino 3 times. The last time I hiked the caminoi was sick of bocadillos and was determined to avoid them (except for the one I bought at Orisson for day 2. Also, I just could not eat all of the food on the pilgrims menu. So for lunch and dinner I mostly ate just wonderful tapas (also cheaper at night for me.
I agree with always have food snacks. I always carry a plastic container for leftovers and pastry to eat in the morning.

 

[trecile]

have been on the camino 3 times. The last time I hiked the caminoi was sick of bocadillos and was determined to avoid them (except for the one I bought at Orisson for day 2. Also, I just could not eat all of the food on the pilgrims menu. So for lunch and dinner I mostly ate just wonderful tapas (also cheaper at night for m

I rarely eat bocadillos while on the Camino. I'm more inclined to have an ensalada mixta for lunch.

Another option if a pilgrims meal is too much food is to order a half menu. Some places offer it as a choice, but if it's not offered most places will accommodate you with one plate, plus dessert and beverage.

 

[J Willhaus]

There may be an opportunity to order a combination plate rather that the 3 course meal. I saw that more often last summer than I have before pre-pandemic.