Where to eat in Hershey, Pennsylvania: a family guide beyond the candy

Hershey is a town built around chocolate, and visitors arrive for the park, the museum and the sweets. Eating well there takes some planning, because crowds build at midday and prices inside attractions are higher than on the streets outside. Eat early, share plates and leave the park for lunch.

What can you eat at Hershey's Chocolate World?

Chocolate World, the visitor attraction in the middle of town, has places to eat inside, including sweet treats and casual meals. For a family with different tastes, a spread of counters is useful because everyone can choose. Prices are higher than in town, and lines build around noon.

What is there at Hersheypark?

A large amusement park runs on the edge of town, with its own restaurants and snack stands. The park has family-friendly sit-down restaurants with chocolate-themed food and an ice cream parlor. Park food is convenient but costly, so many families eat a late lunch in town.

What is on Chocolate Avenue and downtown?

Chocolate Avenue, the main street through town, has a row of restaurants and cafes. The Hotel Hershey is known for upscale dining, and other hotels have their own restaurants. If you want a break from chocolate-themed everything, walk or drive a few blocks to a family restaurant, a pizza shop or a diner. Hours vary by season.

When is Hershey busiest?

Summer is the busiest, especially July and August weekends, and holiday weekends such as Memorial Day and Labor Day. October has the park's autumn events, and December has holiday lights. Spring and early fall can be calmer on weekdays. In winter, some attractions close or run limited hours. Hotels fill on summer weekends, and restaurant waits can be long between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and between 5:30 and 7 p.m. Eat at off hours to avoid the lines.

How do you eat on a budget in Hershey?

Pack snacks and water. Eat breakfast at your hotel or a diner, a late lunch and an early dinner. Share dishes. Look for kids-eat-free deals and lunch specials in town. Buy candy at a grocery store, where prices are lower than inside the attractions. A cooler in the car saves money and time. Check ticket packages that include meals, which can be good value for a long day but not for a short visit.

What about dietary needs and allergies?

Candy and baked goods contain milk, nuts, wheat and soy, and cross-contact is common in places that make chocolate. If you have a food allergy, read labels and ask staff about ingredients and facilities. Some restaurants offer gluten-free or vegan options, and a food hall can be easier because you can see what you order. Carry medication, and know where the nearest first-aid station is in the park.

What else is worth doing for food nearby?

Central Pennsylvania has farm stands, farmers markets and small towns with diners. Harrisburg and Lancaster are within an hour's drive. Lancaster County's Central Market and Pennsylvania Dutch cooking have a guide of their own. A day trip to a farm stand for fresh produce, pies and cider donuts in autumn is an alternative to a day of candy.

What is a simple plan for a family day?

Eat breakfast before you arrive, enter early, do the main attractions in the morning and eat lunch at 11 a.m., before the rush. Take a break in the afternoon, perhaps at the hotel pool or in the town's gardens. Eat dinner in town at a restaurant you have checked, and buy treats to take home at a grocery store. Book hotels and any special meal early.

What should you know about tipping and the check?

Restaurants in Hershey follow the same custom as the rest of the state: 18 to 20 percent at a table-service restaurant. Pennsylvania adds sales tax to restaurant meals, and hotels may add a resort fee that is separate from your food, so read your booking terms. Large groups may see an automatic service charge, which replaces a tip. Food-hall counters and bakeries do not need a tip, though a dollar in a jar is welcome. If you have a package that includes meals, ask which restaurants honor it and whether a tip is included. Keep receipts for any special-request meals, such as a birthday dessert, so you can check the check later.

With children, the best plan is to eat before everyone is hungry. Have a snack in the car, book a table for a late lunch or an early dinner, and leave the park or the attraction before the crowd does. Check the opening hours of each attraction, since they change with the season, and look at the menus ahead of time to see what suits the youngest and the pickiest eaters. If anyone has an allergy, ask the staff before you order. Summer and holiday weekends are the busiest, so arrive early.

How do you remember the meals that worked with children in Hershey?

A day among the chocolate attractions is easy to enjoy and hard to remember by the dish. In the Mosey app, rate the lunch in town, the ice cream and the dinner by the dish, add a tag such as Kid-Friendly or Good Portions, and keep the places in a list for your next family trip. Share it with the other parents in the group, and they can add the diner that beat the midday line. Follow friends who visit with children the same age as yours.

Rate your next family meal in Hershey in the Mosey app and keep the good places in one list.

More guides to read next:

• Erie, Pennsylvania food guide: Greek sauce, lake perch and Presque Isle
• State College food guide: Penn State, the Creamery and football weekends
• Old Forge pizza near Scranton: trays, cuts and red or white

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