Why Food Costs So Much, and Where to Save
Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe for eating out. A sit-down dinner with a main course and a drink can easily cost several times what it would in neighbouring countries, and that adds up quickly over a week. The good news is that the country also has excellent supermarkets, high food quality across the board and a strong lunch culture. With a few habits, you can eat well without paying restaurant prices three times a day.
Supermarkets: Coop, Migros and the Discounters
The two big chains, Coop and Migros, are everywhere, from city centres to mountain villages, and many larger stations have a branch open longer hours. Both sell ready-made salads, sandwiches, sushi boxes and hot food counters, and both have budget lines (Coop's Prix Garantie and Migros's M-Budget) that are noticeably cheaper than the standard brands. Discount chains Denner, Aldi and Lidl are cheaper still for basics.
For picnics, buy bread from the bakery counter, a piece of local cheese such as Gruyère or Appenzeller, some dried meat or sausage, and fruit. That makes a satisfying lunch on a lake shore or at a mountain viewpoint for a fraction of a restaurant bill. Many supermarkets reduce fresh items late in the day, marked with discount stickers.
Note that Migros does not sell alcohol in its main stores, so buy wine or beer at Coop, Denner or a specialist shop.
Supermarket Restaurants and Self-Service
Both Migros and Coop run self-service restaurants, often in their larger stores and shopping centres. They serve hot meals, salad bars and desserts at prices well below a typical restaurant, and they are popular with locals at lunchtime. Department store Manor also runs self-service restaurants in several cities. These are not glamorous, but the food is fresh and portions are generous.
In Zurich, Hiltl, founded in 1898 and widely described as the oldest continuously operating vegetarian restaurant in the world, has a buffet where you pay by weight. It is not the cheapest meal in town, but you control the cost by how much you take.
Make Lunch Your Main Meal
Many Swiss restaurants offer a set lunch menu on weekdays, often called the Tagesmenü or Mittagsmenü in German-speaking areas, menu du jour in French-speaking areas and piatto del giorno in Ticino. It usually includes a main course and often a soup or salad, at a clearly lower price than the same food in the evening. Eating your main meal at lunch and having a light supper from the supermarket is one of the simplest ways to save.
Look for chalkboards outside restaurants and in workers' cafés near offices and stations. Mountain restaurants are pricier, so a packed lunch is often the better option on hiking days.
Markets, Bakeries and Street Food
Weekly markets sell local produce, cheese and baked goods. In Zurich, the Bürkliplatz market runs on Tuesday and Friday mornings, and Bern's Bundesplatz hosts a market on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Market stalls are not always cheaper than supermarkets, but they are good for picnic supplies and regional specialities.
For quick, inexpensive meals, look for sausage stands (a bratwurst or cervelat with bread is a Swiss staple), bakeries selling filled breads and pastries, and kebab or falafel shops, which are among the cheapest hot meals in most towns.
Drinks, Water and Other Savings
Do not pay for bottled water. Switzerland's tap water is of excellent quality, and most public fountains in towns and villages provide drinkable water; fountains not suitable for drinking are marked "kein Trinkwasser", "eau non potable" or "acqua non potabile". Carry a refillable bottle and fill it as you go.
In restaurants, drinks raise the bill quickly. Tap water is not always offered free, so ask politely or stick to one drink with your meal. Coffee is cheaper standing at a bakery counter than at a café table.
If your accommodation has a kitchen, cooking a few dinners will save more than any other tip. Hostels and many holiday apartments have shared or private kitchens. Apps such as Too Good To Go, which sells unsold food from bakeries, supermarkets and restaurants at reduced prices, are also widely used in Swiss cities.
