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Original poster

Longleat lunch / snack cost?

34 replies

Vodka1 · 13/08/2021 11:48

£120 for tickets to longleat entrance fee.

Never been before, I can see they have sandwich/ coffee bars along the way but i was wondering if anyone has been recently and could give me a rough idea of cost for 2 adults 3 kids.

Will take our own lunch if it is too expensive. Did you find you had enough time to see everything with lunch inbetween? Our drive through alot is anytime between 12.30-2.30. And i think you can't go back after youve driven through?

Done fuck all this summer holiday so far so would like it to be a good day but still want to keep to a budget.

Any advice about the place welcome please. Kids 11, 3 and 1.

OP posts:
Ginisatonic · 13/08/2021 11:58

We went for the Christmas light thing and the worst thing about it was the food. The cafe service was painfully slow. Shortage of tables and couldn’t even find a tray to carry it to the table. Food very average. Honestly can’t remember the cost but I’m guessing not cheap. Obviously this was winter and so maybe the situation in the summer is not so bad as people will eat outside so cafes maybe not so busy. If I were you I’d take a packed lunch. Maybe buy ready made sandwiches and quiche sausage rolls if you want to keep the effort down.
The monkey enclosure was fun but they will damage your car! You can bypass it on the drive through if you decide not to risk it.

WreckTangled · 13/08/2021 12:02

Take a picnic. Unless you want to spend £40+ on canteen food Grin we usually take a picnic but buy an ice cream/slushy/doughnuts

Ivy48 · 13/08/2021 12:02

I think most zoos are fairly similar in pricing. Recently went to Chester zoo, drinks/slushes were £2.50 each or so. Ice cream/coffee similar pricing and meals started around £5+ depending on venue and type. I think you’re looking at anything between £40-£60 for all of you. We took a picnic in a cool bag (3 hour drive) and it was lovely and cold at lunch time. Bought a few drinks but didn’t spend more than £10 but that’s just two adults.

Tablow · 13/08/2021 12:04

There's a Waitrose in warminster. Pop in there for some picnic bits beforehand

idontlikealdi · 13/08/2021 12:06

Take food with you. We went this time last year and the queues were horrendous. We were camping and it was easier to back to the site and cook hot dogs than stand in the queues.

idontlikealdi · 13/08/2021 12:07

Oh and the monkey drive through cost us £130 for a replacement rear wiper

Brendabigbaps · 13/08/2021 15:17

We went last month, food was awful and not cheap!
We ended up with hot dogs. The nachos were thrown in the bin!
Take a picnic.

There is a fab playground that we didn’t have much time in, we also didn’t go on the river cruise as it was an hour long queue and we didn’t have time to wait.
Took us 30 mins to get in, we arrived at 10am, so arrive before it opens and queue then.

BarbaraofSeville · 13/08/2021 15:40

It would be rare that the food somewhere like that was reasonably priced, good quality/nice and not at the end of a long queue.

You won't feel like you're missing out if you take a picnic and I don't see how taking your own food instead of buying it there will make it less of a good day.

If you take your own food, you're guaranteed to have something you like, you won't have to queue and you're likely to save a few tens of pounds.

Notebooksarefabulous · 13/08/2021 15:44

Take a picnic lunch. The food halls at those places are extortionately expensive and yet simultaneously awful places to eat.

Original poster
Vodka1 · 13/08/2021 21:22

Hiya thanks for the replies to all of you

I've decided to finally bite the bullet and buy a little picnic basket and cutlery and take a picnic. And if the queues look short maybe we can grab a cold drink when we are there.

To Barbara its not that taking my own food will make it feel less of a nice day out its just these days are so rare and its nice not to overpack and spend so much time preparing if you get me?

My kids are small and days out have been few and far between to these places so whilst I'm not against picnics I thought it may be nice to stop and eat lunch somewhere.

But 100% they will be just as happy on a blanket at a park eating sandwiches I'm certain

Also I've heard alot about the windscreen wipers, I'm going to look at replacement prices now before we risk the monkeys

Thanks!

OP posts:
WreckTangled · 13/08/2021 21:24

We were fine with the monkeys it's was the camel that ripped our roof trimming off Shock we had to get rescued by the keepers as they blocked our car and were leaning right up against it!

Elouera · 13/08/2021 21:24

As a side note, if you have tesco vouchers, use them to pay for your entry.

Silkiecats · 16/08/2021 05:49

From what I remember the sit down cafes were very average food and on the pricey side. After the safari by the car park there are food trucks doing things like large hot dogs, doughnuts etc, again a bit pricey, maybe 6 a hot dog and 5 pounds for a bag of doughnuts. We normally get them.

Silkiecats · 16/08/2021 05:51

It's a great place but the monkeys took our windscreen wipers on a very rainy day then next time we did route with no monkeys but missed them. Next time went after lunch and monkeys were quite sleepy.

Sunflowergirl1 · 16/08/2021 05:55

Not been to Long,eat but we have had a 2 week staycation away and a,so done stuff nearer home. Without exception, all of the cafes and restaurants/shops had slimmed down menus and limited stock. Prices were high. Cafes a d restaurants couldn't be booked (appreciate not relevant to Longleat). We have given up eating out currently unless it is nearer home and we know the current form of the place

Take a nice lunch as you are now planning and will be much better

HungryHippo11 · 16/08/2021 06:01

Our drive through alot is anytime between 12.30-2.30. And i think you can't go back after youve driven through?
Do you mean back into the main zoo area? I'm sure you can go back in after going through the safari bit, you certainly could when I went 2 years ago - unless they've chatted it for covid but that wouldn't make much sense.
Otherwise the people who have slots at 10am would just have to do the drive through and then go home, for £120?

Maybe phone and check. I can't see anything about that on the website.

Beechnuts · 16/08/2021 06:10

We went to Longleat a couple of years ago. The kids loved it. Food was expensive and not especially nice so I'd take a picnic and spend on treats.

We did safari followed by the zoo/playground but in hindsight we should have saved the safari for when the kids were getting tired. If we go again, we'd do zoo first.
Enjoy your trip!

WinterRose92 · 16/08/2021 06:10

It was pretty expensive, we only bought drinks and ice cream and I don’t remember how much it was but I know I begrudged paying it! I remember thinking how glad I was that we took a picnic!
That’s my advice - picnic.

BarbaraofSeville · 16/08/2021 06:51

To Barbara its not that taking my own food will make it feel less of a nice day out its just these days are so rare and its nice not to overpack and spend so much time preparing if you get me

You'll almost certainly spend more time queueing for food if you buy it there than you will putting together a decent picnic at home, or even picking up a supermarket sandwich meal deal each on the way there.

ABCDEF1234 · 16/08/2021 06:58

Recently at a zoo (although not longleat) and food couldn't be taken in with you. Maybe check if you could take in a picnic basket

headintheproverbial · 16/08/2021 07:09

There is pretty poor choice and the queues are massive. I'd consider taking a picnic just to improve the quality and wait times! If you have a good cool box the car parks are not far from where you'd want to eat anyway.

Also take plenty of snacks for the safari anyway - takes ages to get round and kids got antsy!

Oblomov21 · 16/08/2021 07:13

I always have and always will take food. What's not to like about a sandwich, crisps, bottle of water and a packet of chocolate fingers.

Then you can buy something if you choose. Be it a burger, or some doughnuts. But I like having the choice.

RampantIvy · 16/08/2021 07:15

The nachos were thrown in the bin!

We saw people throwing their nachos away when we visited last month.

We stopped at an M and S at a petrol station en route to Longleat and just bought hot drinks while we were there and were very glad that we had done so.

HungryHippo11 · 16/08/2021 07:46

@ABCDEF1234

Recently at a zoo (although not longleat) and food couldn't be taken in with you. Maybe check if you could take in a picnic basket
Why? What a cheek expecting you to pay to get in and also pay for their (probably overpriced and unpleasant) food!
NandoLorris · 16/08/2021 08:11

You can go back in after the safari! We always do and did last week when we went in the same time slot as you. Make sure you get your money's worth!