Kosher While Traveling
Restaurant Article
"Eating out" is easy in a city blessed with Kosher restaurants under reliable supervision. However, a city that does not have the availability of Kosher restaurants presents some Kashrus challenges. Some people, who are otherwise very careful about the Kashrus standards in their homes, might weaken at the temptations of eating in a non-Kosher restaurant.
Many feel that if a restaurant has the label "health foods," "vegetarian" or "natural foods" that it certainly must automatically fall under the rules of Kashrus. Nothing is further from the truth. These types of eating establishments could be full of food that pose grave problems to the Kosher consumer.
Coffee Shops
Plain unflavored coffee (regular or decaf) does not generally present a Kashrus problem. The main concern is that it be served in a disposable cup. Flavored coffees are problematic — flavoring is often derived from non-Kosher sources and must bear a reliable certification.
Cruise Ships and Hotels
Resorts on occasion advertise Kosher meals with full supervision. In cases where the facility does not include a Kosher kitchen, the hotel is usually happy to provide airline-style meals for its guests. These can be heated in non-Kosher ovens as they are double-wrapped for this purpose.
Kosher Franchises
One can find a Baskin Robbins store kosher in one state and not in another. Dunkin Donuts is not kosher in most parts of the U.S., kosher certified in some cities, and Cholov Yisroel in yet other locations. Always check the certification on that particular store.