What are ways I can save money when eating out?

Question

suggestions, please.

Answer 1

Buy discounted gift certificates at http://www.restaurant.com/ Simply enter your zip code to see the participating restaurants in your area. Look for free restaurant coupons on national coupon Web sites like http://www.valpak.com/vpcol/home.do and http://www.hotcoupons.com/

Check the web site of your city's local newspapers for local coupon sections. Check your newspaper circulars on Sundays for restaurant flyers and coupons.

Go to the Web sites of your favorite restaurants to see if they offer special benefits like "Frequent Guest" programs that reward frequent diners with free meals, free birthday meals, "Kids Eat Free" days, early bird specials and/or free coupons. Subscribe to their e-mail newsletter to see if they send out special offers and/or coupons to subscribers. Many restaurants give coupons for free items immediately after subscribing to their newsletter.

Join Overboard club @ Red Lobster (coupons)
http://www.redlobster.com/lobster/coupons.htm

Ask your restaurants if they have similar promotional programs if they do not have a Web site.

Most Telephone Books have coupons in them.

Check your mail for coupon booklets and coupon envelopes for local restaurants.

Entertainment Book is an excellent source of restaurant coupons for specific cities. You can buy one from their Web site, http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml and even preview the restaurants available before you invest in a book.

Restaurant Coupons @ Cool Savings
http://www104.coolsavings.com/scripts/welenroll.aspx?SessionID=1260767277&Ref=Overture&BN=restaurant_coupon&BL=+IPonline&RefURL=http%2f%2fsearch.yahoo.com%2fsearch(q)p%3drestaurant+coupons(a)prssweb%3dSearch(a)ei%3dUTF-8(a)fr%3dsbc-web(a)x%3dwrt

Restaurant and Dining Coupon Links
http://couponing.about.com/od/restaurantcoupons/

Answer 2

Here are some ideas:

1. Dine out for breakfast or lunch. Cheaper than dinner.
2. Split your meal into two. Take half home for a second meal. The cost is halved!
3. Enjoy an appetizer instead of an entree.
4. Use coupons you find online.
5. Look for daily specials. They're usually at a promotional price.
6. Peruse local city magazines and newspaper ads for coupons.
7. Invite a friend to split a meal and the cost.
8. Ask friends for suggestions of good places with great prices.
9. Find hole-in-the-wall bargains. (We go to a great little Mexican restaurant that isn't too nice-looking on the outside, but the food is terrific and an entree with two sides costs as low as $3.85.)
10. Save up your dining out bucks by eating at home most days and then allowing yourself to splurge once in a while.

Bon Apetit!

Answer 3

Drinking water rather than a soda or alcoholic drink is a good idea. I also find that lunch is a much cheaper meal in general and the portion sizes are perfectly reasonable! Occasionally I'll go out and order a couple of things a la cart such as a small salad and an hor'dourve or a salad and a bowl of soup.

Answer 4

One way is obviously avoid alcohol and dessert. Coupons for "one dinner free" are often offered at larger retaurants, and you can get discount coupons for restaurants in just about any city in North America by going on line. Ordering just the specials is also a way to decrease the cost.

Another interesting way to dine out is to share the tab with someone, and order 3 appetizers only, sharing a bit of everything! It is actually a wonderful way to dine out - we've gone out for dinner (just the 2 of us) and ordered 6 appetizer items as our whole evening meal - great way to try new things.

Good Luck

Answer 5

Go during happy hours.
split appetizers or desserts.
Opt for water or alcohol free beverages.
Go to menus like Applebees or TGIFridays that offer 3 course specials for a cheaper price.

Watch $40 A Day with Rachel Ray on the Food Network.

Get a rich significant other...

Answer 6

Go to restaurants that aren't so expensive, and save the fancy places for special occasions.

Don't order tons of food - maybe just a salad and a main entree, and save the dessert for later (for example, go to an ice cream place instead of getting a whopping chocolate creation at a restaurant).

Answer 7

Order one kinda big item, and share it. This can be cheaper than two seperate dishes.

I sometimes order appetizers as the meal. Some places have really good ones to use as meals. I do this at Applebee's all the time. They have a great, filling quesdiella (sorry about spelling) full of veggies.

If you really want desert, share that too. Better than buying two.

Answer 8

Simple ways:

1. Don't order appetizers, drinks or desserts, just have main dish.
2. Avoid expensive reasturants.
3. Each at places that don't require a tip.

Answer 9

Do not get appetizers and do not get deserts. Order water instead of sodas, alcohol, tea, or coffee. Order something from the menu that is fairly inexpensive even though you'd rather have something better.

Answer 10

Don't order drinks. Just order water. That will save you 20% or more.

Answer 11

order less whether it's minus dessert, or minus appetizer
eat at less expensive restaurants
eat at restaurants that have special nights (usually wkngiths) where they offer something for less to bring in customers
don't order beer/wine/liquor where the markup is high
drink water
order the specials or less expensive items on the menu