Is all inclusive food actually good or just cheap and easy?

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I'm currently at a 5* all inclusive for a few days in the Mediterranean. It had amazing reviews. But the food is so bland and not good quality and no comparison at all to local restaurants.

This is the second all inclusive I've stayed in and the first was similar. I've decided all inclusive isn't for me.

Why do people rave so much about the great food? Is it just because the food is there and you're not looking at the price tag?

They vary. We go to a 4 star one on Tenerife that has fab food. We’ve been to 5 star resorts with worse food.

I've tried a lot of AI (it's so useful with kids) and there has been quite a bit of variation though I can always find stuff that I like.

One thing I have found is that in the AI hotels that do a main buffet plus separate themed a la carte restaurants, the buffet is usually a bit poor. I guess because so much effort is going into the a la cartes. The only exception to this was in St Lucia where there were 6 restaurants but the buffet was also excellent with lots of made to order stations. That holiday was £££££ though! (We prefer to eat in the a la cartes as they bring the food to the table but our kids like the buffet so they can see what the food looks like first.)

We stayed in a quite run down resort in Fuerteventura which only had one buffet restaurant but it was absolutely excellent quality. Similar experience in Tunisia and in Zante where the buffet included a bbq/gyros.

Also being able to grab a soft drink or ice cream during the day without having to pay extra is so helpful. When we went on a half board holiday we ended up spending so much throughout the day on water, juice and ice creams. It really adds up.

It can be handy with children for that reason, or if you have fussy eaters who are happy with some of the plain buffet items.

I love AI food because I like being able to decide on the combination and portion sizes myself. I think the deserts in AI resorts are usually good quality. There is often more choice than there would be on a menu. I also like having a large window of time to get my food rather than being stuck to a reservation and not having to budget for food when on holiday is a great for me.

Actually - about to start planning next summers holiday - so those who have stayed somewhere with amazing food, would you mind dropping the hotel name and country?!

The best food we have had is where AI is the only option, like the Maldives or Sharm and they compete fir the same market.
Europe is quite samey I think, catering for the masses rarely pleases anyone and there are loads of good local places to go to.
Saying that it's fab with little kids.

AI is great with kids - especially perpetually hungry teens and older kids who want to be independent and not necessarily eat with you . We’ve been to several good places in Greece and Turkey , the veg and salad has been excellent which suits me but DH says the meat and fish isn’t normally of the best quality . If you have fussy kids who only eat pizza or pasta or nuggets - it’s normally there but it’s always the same choices. On balance I’d still go AI though .

Where are you that 5* AI is bland and not great?

we always and only do 5* AI as I’m not interested in exploring and eating the local food. And I’ve always stayed where there’s different restaurants at the resort, endless food options, every cuisine you could think of.

im really surprised that a 5* place would have mediocre food

We like the Grecotel hotels ( Greece)

I’ve only been once on an AI and that was Egypt and the less said the better - have been on 2 excellent full board ones though - one in Puerto pollensa and one in Switzerland ( ski resort- new year) - both of those were very much geared up to Germans/europeans rather than Brits and were excellent good wise - whole cooked sides of salmon, fresh grilled steaks, good prawns , great breads and fresh pasta dishes . The only ones I heard moaning in Puerto pollensa were the British ones with kids as there was very little nuggets and chips type stuff . The German , Scandinavian and French kids were wolfing down the salmon and prawns . One reason I’m not keen on AI is my H in particular is we are fussy about wine and my H doesn’t drink beer and I don’t like cheap spirits or cocktails . and unless you are usually paying big money you are given very generic and the cheapest booze! Now to be honest this will be fine for plenty, as will quite bland buffet food , so I think it really depends on what matters to you . If you are fussy about quality and not big drinkers I struggle to see you get value either inkrss you have kids discounted.

Most AI is cheap and cheerful. It's aimed at the British mass market who want to drink and snack a lot.
There are a handful of AI resorts with high quality food - these tend to be the ones with a-la-carte dining rather than buffets. I'm a travel agent and most of my high-end clients would book on a B&B or half board basis (as would I, unless I was in the Maldives or somewhere where you don't have any choice of dining options).
The 5 rating is based on certain amenities and services - there are 5 and premium 5* if you see what I mean.

Much as I love AI (as per my first comment!), I do agree with those who’ve said that the desserts can be disappointing. Lots of mousses and weird, artificial jelly-fied cake!

What kind of food do they have? I’ve never been to an all inclusive but was considering it.

We have been to two different Ikos hotels and found the food disappointing. Not a bad meal as such, but just lacking the flavours and taste that you want on holiday. Presentation is nice and fancy but I actually want it to taste amazing too! We don't eat out often but when we do, we go to highly rated places in London so I guess we tend to get really good and interesting food when out, for the most part. We actually preferred the buffet at Ikos to the a la carte restaurants; I wish there was a buffet only option at Ikos and then we would eat out at the best local restaurants a few times.

Buffet food will never be amazing. I'd assume with a 5* there is more than one a la carte restaurant?

The best AI food I've had was a 3* suneo brand hotel.

If I can just mention, both highish end mid size hotels we have just stayed in in Majorca ( camp de Mar and sant elm) offered half board and neither had buffets apart from breakfast ( and even then you could order fresh eggs Benedict or toasties etc ) evening meals were just a la carte from their excellent restaurants that outsiders came too as well . It’s well worth looking ( if fussy) what half board options are available at quality hotels that aren’t really set up for AI - we went B&B at the universal aquamarine in sant elm as an example , but ate their 2 nights out of 4 and I could happily have been on half board - which would have been about £260 extra in total for the 4 nights and was well worth it - superb stuff -whole fish carved at your table etc

We go AI because its easy. Especially with kids, if they want to drink 4 hot chocolates every night during the evening entertainment thats fine. I dont need to fuss over spending €20 per night on poxy hot chocolates.

Same with lunch. Even if its just a toasted sandwich and chips - at least thats not cost me €10!

Although we love AI, we are actually considering half board next year, so we can be closer to things that are going on! I'd love the AI holiday Village experience thats not located in the arse end of nowhere.

Food varies, often not as good as a restaurant as the dishes are mass catering. We have had great food in lots of places. It does get boring after a while.
We only do AI because of the children…there idea of a holiday is playing in a pool 90% of time. It is convenient to have food on site. Restaurants everyday 2x day with children is too much imo. With AI we might just have lunch at the pool (paella, bbq meats etc) and then a meal in the evening.

Kerkyra blue Corfu! Not much in the area of the hotel, but the hotel was lovely and the food the best all-inclusive I’ve ever experienced

I don’t think anyone goes on an AI hol for the food. We used to go when kids were small because we knew there would be something on the buffet they would like and didn’t feel we were wasting money if they didn’t. Also the pool, kids activities etc.

We went to Malta last year all inclusive and the food was really nice. All the hot food was well seasoned and they had different fish and meat each day with a selection of local dishes and the more generic crowd pleaser dishes.
the desserts each day were the same though! Nice, but by the end of the week i wanted something different!
AI are a different type of holiday to just B&B. I love both for different reason, the AI is not the holiday for the food connoisseur!

I think in the main AI is for people who value ease and convenience over food quality

For me, one of the things I most enjoy about travelling abroad is good food and I would just rather be able to choose restaurants than be stuck with whatever is on offer.

We usually stay in an Airbnb and go out for one nice meal a day and have the other be snacky stuff at home

Just recently got back from a Club Med all-inclusive and the food was absolutely amazing!