Airport food is notoriously expensive. Most terminals are stuffed full of chain restaurants serving up average food at inflated prices, in an environment where the normal rules of the market don’t necessarily apply. Terminal 4 at Heathrow Airport is no exception. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible to find cheap ways to grab a bite, although it sometimes takes a little creativity. Of course, in an ideal world you’ll eat before you leave home, check in and be on your flight before you even need to think about eating again. However, the reality is that plane delays and hungry children can scupper those kinds of plans.

One option for eating cheaply in Terminal 4 which won’t have occurred to many, is the 4deck Lounge. It costs £20 for adults to enter (and £10 for children over two, under twos are free), but included in that price is free food and drink (including alcohol). As long as there’s space, you can use the lounge without a booking, so if you find yourself in Terminal 4 and facing a long departure delay, you could well find yourself breaking even on the cost of food and drink compared to what you might spend in airport food outlets. You’ll also gain the added bonus of a spacious and comfortable place to wait, equipped with computer games and Sky TV.

One of the cheapest places to get a meal in Terminal 4 is the Wetherspoons that’s located before security. It’s not ideally situated, but if you’re already checked in, then there’s no reason you can’t grab a meal here and then go through security afterwards, and going straight to your gate. Prices will be higher here than many Wetherspoons branches, but you can still expect to get 2 hot meals for around £7-8, which is fantastic value. It may not be the best quality food you’ve ever eaten, but neither should it be the worst. The Sunday Roast in particular is a good choice for the hungover. You get lashings of everything to start with, and a simple option for getting extra portions of anything you fancy. You won’t feel guilty about it, because Wetherspoons is so scummy anyway, and you can sleep it off on the plane like Barack Obama himself.

The cheapest option for a sit down meal after security in Terminal 4 is Garfunkels. This family friendly chain serves up an unadventurous, but not unappealing menu. Pizzas and pasta dishes are possibly the best value choices, coming in at around £7-10. An unlimited salad bar at £6.95 might also be a good choice for the hungry. Several of the side dishes on offer would also make a reasonable light meal in themselves. A jacket potato costs £2.75, and garlic bread with cheese is £3.95.

Terminal 4 has several coffee bars where you should be able to pick up a sandwich or cake. These might not be great value, but they are cheaper than a full sit-down meal. After security, there are branches of Starbucks, Costa and AMT, with AMT generally being the cheapest.

Author Bio: Rebecca J is a huge fan of Heathrow Terminal 4 lounges and recommends them for a relaxing Heathrow layover or a good start to any flight from Heathrow airport.

Category: Travel
Keywords: London, Heathrow,terminal 4,food,restaurants,travel