Cheap Eats on Maui
Yes, there ARE cheap eats on Maui! Places where you can dine out and actually have some $$$ left over! Maui boasts a wide array of great restaurants, but eating out can be expensive here. If you’re looking for inexpensive places to eat on Maui, here are some suggestions—eateries that I have found to be reliable for good food at low prices. This is not meant to be a complete list of every inexpensive eatery on Maui; these are just a few of my favorites around the island. So explore, and you’ll find many others!
My criteria for “cheap eats on Maui:” $10 or less for breakfast or lunch and under $20 for dinner. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you might know that my criteria used to be a bit lower. But as prices go up, expectations change. “Cheap” on Maui doesn’t mean what it did 10, 5, or even 3 years ago!
The focus of this blog is on good-tasting food at low prices, not necessarily on great ambiance, stellar customer service, or the healthiest food choices. (Prices listed below were correct at the time I last updated this blog.)
NOTE: This blog was updated in September 2023, some of the businesses mentioned here could possibly change their operations, menu, or prices. Please check with these places directly to verify their operating status and prices. Mahalo!
COSTCO
Costco is the hands-down winner for cheap eats on Maui. Nothing else comes close. You can have dinner for two here for right around $4 — unheard of on Maui in 2023! A jumbo hot dog, a slice of pizza, and a 20 oz drink (included in the price of the hot dog) will run you $4.24, including tax. Plus, a whole pizza only costs $10! Costco has a very limited menu, but the servings are substantial, the food is always piping hot, and while it might not be the healthiest option, there’s not much on the menu for over $5. And let’s not forget about the free sample stands in the store (just kidding, kind of!). On Maui, the Costco dining area is located next to the entrance to the store. Remember, you will have to show your Costco membership in order to purchase anything from the food court.
MINIT STOP
Minit Stop is a locally owned gas station/convenience chain with locations all over Maui. It’s best known for its fried chicken, potato wedges, and award-winning spam musubis. Yes, that’s right — Minit Stop’s musubis won the Maui Times “Best Musubi on Maui” award in 2018. A three-piece chicken and three-piece wedge box goes for under $10, while musubis are just under $3. There are also heaps of other cheap grinds at Minit Stop, like chicken katsu plates, bentos, and chili. If you feel like splurging, you can order a humongous plate lunch for around $15. While this might not be the healthiest fare (Minit Stop is a gas station, after all), it’s certainly healthy on your wallet.
FOODLAND
Foodland is like Hawaii’s answer to Safeway. This local chain has all the grocery essentials, but also a bakery, a hot bar, a deli, and a poke bar. You’ll also find items like bentos, sushi, spam musubis, and pre-made salads. Seriously, when in doubt, just go to Foodland. A 14 oz sub will run you about $10, as will a premium poke bowl. If you’re staying in Hawaii for more than a few days, it’s worth signing up for Foodland’s “Maikaʻi Card.” With the Maikaʻi Card, you can get discounts on snacks, drinks, and other grocery items.
COCONUTS FISH CAFE
Coconuts Fish Cafe usually has a line out the door for its fish tacos, but they have lots of other meal options, as well, with nearly everything priced under $20. Salads, soups, sandwiches, local lunch/dinner plates – all really good food and generous servings. The fish tacos (pictured) are served open-face and are delicious. One order includes two large tacos for $16.49 (two orders are pictured here), and just one taco is a meal in itself, so one order can feed two people if you’re not ravenous. A great value! (2 Locations in Kihei, Plus a Food Truck)
Where to stay in Kihei? Check out these Kihei hotels, condos, and vacation homes.
SAM SATO’S
Sam Sato’s has been around since the 1930s, and it seems like their prices have barely changed! (Just kidding, they’ve recently gone up just a bit.) At this longstanding Wailuku establishment, you can get a hearty breakfast for under $10, a cheeseburger for $5, and a heaping plate of dry mein (dry noodles) for $10.95. In addition to being affordable, Sam Sato’s is the go-to place for local-style comfort food, like saimin, chow fun, and loco moco.
OTHER CHEAP EATS ON MAUI
MAUI FOOD TRUCKS
There are MANY great food trucks scattered all over the island, including a group of them clustered in two separate lots across the street from Costco in Kahului. Hours vary from truck to truck — and many run out of their specialties by mid-afternoon, so they will close early. Check prices carefully before you order. Some food trucks offer low prices and true “cheap eats.” Others are more gourmet, and they are not priced at bargain rates. But overall, Maui’s food trucks offer great food, value, and convenience.
Also keep your eyes open for roadside huli huli chicken stands. You’ll see the signs. These are often fundraisers for churches or schools, featuring whole chickens with a teriyaki-style glaze grilled on huge open-air rotisseries. (Huli means “turn” in Hawaiian.) Huli huli chicken is an island favorite. Pick one up for dinner!
MAUI FOOD COURTS & STORE DELIS
Many of Maui’s shopping centers feature food courts with a selection of fast-food outlets—some are familiar national chains (like Subway) and some are local homegrown eateries (like Maui Tacos). If you’re looking for fast and cheap, food courts are the way to go. The largest on the island is at Queen Kaahumanu Center in Kahului (located on the 2nd level, front center of the mall). Other good food courts can be found at Piilani Shopping Center (on the upper highway in Kihei, by Safeway) and Whalers Village in Kaanapali.
Another great option for cheap eats: local grocery stores. Many of them offer deli sections and food counters with delicious prepared items for take-out, and some (Whole Foods and certain Safeway locations) offer buffet bars with a wide variety of foods for you to serve yourself, box up, and take away. Don’t overlook Maui’s grocery stores for some quick and yummy cheap eats!
DINING COUPONS AND DISCOUNTS
When you are visiting Maui, check out the local newspapers for current advertised specials and coupons at local eateries. There are often some great deals at Maui’s top restaurants!
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Happy Travels!
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