Wildwood, NJ, is a beach town, and like most beach towns, it has some overpriced restaurants. However, there are ways to save quite a bit of money on several meals during your vacation, so you can enjoy one of Wildwood's finer restaurants on another evening.
Pick up at least one of each of the discount magazines in the lobby of your hotel or condo unit. These magazines are filled with offers for free desserts, free appetizers and even some "buy one, get one free" meals. The magazines include reviews of local restaurants as well, with suggested entrees for the budget-conscious traveler. Some titles of these discount magazines include Wildwood Nightlife, Wildwood Bucks and Wildwood Guide.
Visit coupon websites like Restaurant.com before you visit Wildwood. There are several restaurants, including casual and fine-dining establishments, that offer $25 gift certificates for $10 or less. Preparing ahead of time will help you save close to 50 percent on a full meal. Search the zip code 08260. Any restaurant in town, or in neighboring North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, is within a 5-mile radius of the center of Wildwood.
Dine during "early-bird specials." Many restaurants in Wildwood offer these specials between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Typically, the portions are smaller, but the price reduction is more significant than the portion reduction. Many tourists don't have facilities to reheat leftovers in their hotel rooms, so the reduced portion size is not a huge factor (unless you have a large appetite). Some good restaurants with early-bird specials include Little Italy, which has entrees for under $10, and The Boathouse, which offers a salad, entree and dessert for $10 to 15.
Eat your largest meal of the day during lunch hours. Many restaurants serve the same exact food during the lunch service as they do during dinner. The portions might be slightly smaller, but the savings are significant. At many of these restaurants, you can dine during lunch hour for half the price the same meal would cost at dinner. Try Neil's Steakhouse, Urie's or The Lobster House.
Drive just outside of Wildwood for a meal. The neighboring town of Rio Grande has some very good diners and family-run restaurants. These restaurants can save you anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the same entrees at restaurants in Wildwood.
