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[Ninja Kitty]

Our hotel has an awesome buffet breakfast included for all rooms every morning and you're allowed to take your food up to the room if you want (even taking multiple trips, they don't care as it's a free buffet), and since all rooms have fully equipped kitchens you can keep and heat up food for later. That said, we still get snacks by using the free grocery pick-up service the hotel offers (you give them a list, they go to Food Basics for you and place the amount on the receipt to your room bill) while we're around the con. And, of course, pizza is usually had once throughout the weekend, lol!

[Angathol]

Just going to bump this and reduce the number of threads.

[oujino_prince]

Originally Posted by Ninja Kitty

Our hotel has an awesome buffet breakfast included for all rooms every morning and you're allowed to take your food up to the room if you want (even taking multiple trips, they don't care as it's a free buffet), and since all rooms have fully equipped kitchens you can keep and heat up food for later. That said, we still get snacks by using the free grocery pick-up service the hotel offers (you give them a list, they go to Food Basics for you and place the amount on the receipt to your room bill) while we're around the con. And, of course, pizza is usually had once throughout the weekend, lol!

where is this magical place?!

[DireKitty]

Jack Astors has some gluten free items apparently

[seiryuux]

Me thinks this thread needs to be stickied again, Angathol. Even if it isn't cosplay related.

And maybe copy and pasted on the Teahouse forums.

[harudae]

Originally Posted by Ani_BEE

I use to do the whole camp food thing but I just can't anymore. A weekend of pre-packaged food makes me feel sick the last two years I did it.

Same here, eating instant noodles more than twice in a row makes me feel sick and terrible during the day compared to eating actual food.

I really like eating the onigiri at the DT as a snack though, and usually bring lunch (since I drive up to the con) and either go out of the con space or eat dinner back home.

[Ninja Kitty]

Originally Posted by oujino_prince

where is this magical place?!

The Residence Inn; they're not "super classy" like other hotels, but they are exactly what a cosplaying con-goer needs. The sizes of their rooms are impressive. Their 2-Bedroom suites allow you to properly book 6 people in the room as you get a king, a queen, and a pull-out couch (although the couch is very uncomfortable, so you'll want extra comforters to lay on), with plenty of personal space and 2 bathrooms. Ever since the PC convention duo at the TCC happened and people had to stay there because of all the lack of space in the more popular hotels, the hotel has become extremely popular and gets booked solid. We WERE going to book one of their awesome 2-bedroom rooms again back in October, but to our horror they had all been grabbed! The con rate only applied to the 1-Bedroom suites, too, so go figure, lol! We're going to be booking our next year room right when we're checking out of the hotel. XD I'd personally never want to stay anywhere else for Anime North, and anyone I know who stays there agrees.

[oujino_prince]

Originally Posted by Ninja Kitty

The Residence Inn; they're not "super classy" like other hotels, but they are exactly what a cosplaying con-goer needs. The sizes of their rooms are impressive. Their 2-Bedroom suites allow you to properly book 6 people in the room as you get a king, a queen, and a pull-out couch (although the couch is very uncomfortable, so you'll want extra comforters to lay on), with plenty of personal space and 2 bathrooms. Ever since the PC convention duo at the TCC happened and people had to stay there because of all the lack of space in the more popular hotels, the hotel has become extremely popular and gets booked solid. We WERE going to book one of their awesome 2-bedroom rooms again back in October, but to our horror they had all been grabbed! The con rate only applied to the 1-Bedroom suites, too, so go figure, lol! We're going to be booking our next year room right when we're checking out of the hotel. XD I'd personally never want to stay anywhere else for Anime North, and anyone I know who stays there agrees.

maybe i'll consider it in the future... i usually stay at double tree for some reason. i mean i live in toronto, it seems a bit unnecessary.

anyway... yeah. i usually eat random snack foods the other boys pack and wash it down with tequila. we might have dinner out one of the evenings [probably the friday]. and get swiss chalet because it's super cheap...

[Shannynn]

I have four tips for happy dining at AN.

1. Avoid the restaurant cluster beside the TCC as much as you can. This is where the long line-ups are. Harvey's and Tim Horton's (the one right in the cluster, not the one near the Radisson - that one's actually not bad) are probably the worst contenders. Restaurants inside the Doubletree are also bad for this. Generally, the further away from the main convention area you are, the better off you will be.

2. Avoid eating at restaurants during key convention hours (unless you have a car, are willing to pay for bus/taxi fare, or are willing to walk for 20+ minutes to get to the not-as nearby restaurants). Have your own food and drinks handy for this time. Another thing I've done during this time period is ordered food by phone or Internet for pick-up.

3. Do research before you get to the con. Use googlemaps or something similar to look at all the options you have. There are all kinds of restaurants serving all kinds of food at all sorts of price ranges. If there are any particular places you want to eat at, get their phone number so you can phone before you go there (assuming you have some sort of mobile phone) to ask how long the wait will be.

4. Do not buy the food that is served either in the TCC or in the hallway of the Doubletree. Not only is it overpriced, but it tastes terrible, too!

[AJ the Collector]

I don't find the DT food is terrible. I love the chicken dango and riceballs and pizza they serve.

[Shannynn]

Originally Posted by AJ the Collector

I don't find the DT food is terrible. I love the chicken dango and riceballs and pizza they serve.

I think it is a different table that serves the riceballs and dango.

I got sick from the DT pizza. I guess it's all personal taste, but there is better pizza elsewhere in the area (and cheaper). There are many pizza places that will deliver, too. I remember paying something like $3.00 for a can of coke at the DT, which is crazy.

Avoiding food served in convention centers is a good guideline to go by for all conventions. It may taste okay, but the pricing is ridiculous.

[AJ the Collector]

I only buy J-snacks unavailable here in the Dealers Room {meaning I avoid buying the overpriced Pocky and Pretz}, and only if it's not insanely priced.

[N_H_Sakura5]

Originally Posted by Rainbowgasm

This year our plan is to stuff the 3 fridges in our 3 rooms with food (the last 3 years at the Rad, all our rooms have had fridges so... if we dont this time... I will be very upset) and bring some stuff that doesn't need the fridge too... we plan on bringing cup noodles, and veggie trays and meat and cheese and bread, and granola bars an crackers... and maybe something like home made Tuna salad or something... we'll see... we plan to try and NOT eat out anymore then maybe once all weekend (like maybe after the con ends on Sunday we might treat ourselves to some Subway while we relax in the hotel room before 90% of us leave...(we have one of the 3 rooms booked for Sunday night so we can store luggage all day sunday, so we can all relax in there, and then just 2 or 3 of us will stay the night, but the others can stay for a bit at least XP)

I was always under the impression that there was an extra charge to use the fridges in the Rad. They never seemed to be on in the rooms I've had there. But maybe I didnt pay close enough attention. The website doesnt even mention them, were they free for you?

But having them working would be perfect for my fiance who is trying to eat properly and will still be doing so during Anime North.

[DireKitty]

Originally Posted by N_H_Sakura5

I was always under the impression that there was an extra charge to use the fridges in the Rad. They never seemed to be on in the rooms I've had there. But maybe I didnt pay close enough attention. The website doesnt even mention them, were they free for you?

But having them working would be perfect for my fiance who is trying to eat properly and will still be doing so during Anime North.

Check under the counter with the sink. I didn't know some rooms didn't have one.... worries me a tad as I do need it for food as I have allergies and some of my food needs to be refrigerated.

[N_H_Sakura5]

Originally Posted by DireKitty

Check under the counter with the sink. I didn't know some rooms didn't have one.... worries me a tad as I do need it for food as I have allergies and some of my food needs to be refrigerated.

My Rooms have always had the fridges, I just never noticed if they were working or not cause we've never had anything to put in there. My friend is telling me that she thinks they are an extra charge to use, and that's money I dont have =(

I hope that is not the case though, cause like you, I really want to store some food and water in there during the convention.