How to Save on Dining Out?

Answer 1

Eating out can cost a lot of money these days. If you follow these very simple steps, you will save a little money when dining out.
Steps

1. Take advanage of coupons that you can find on the internet and in newspapers. Some restaurants, especially the franchise/chain restaurants (such as Red Lobster, Olive Garden, etc.) have coupons as well. They are often advertised in your newspaper (for example, the Sunday paper).
2. Pass on the sodas and alcoholic beverages. Instead, order water or water with lemon, which will usually be free of charge. Other beverages can cost from $2-$5 each. You could also try a search at About.com and search for "Free Drink When Dining Out." This will give you some tips on avoiding the sometimes high profit mark-up restaurants charge on drinks.
3. Pass on the dessert. You will probably be very full by then anyway! Or just order the fruit salad and keep healthy.
4. Go out only for special occations. Remember you don't always have to go out to eat and keeping it for those special occasions only makes restaurant visits a lot more fun and exciting.
5. Make a restaurant at home. Look up recipes online or in your favourite cookbooks and try some new exotic foods!
6. Order lunch and other meal specials. Take advantage of them while you can. They are often worth it and you will get a lot of good food for less than the other items on the menu.


Tips

* Some restaurants charge less for meals eaten by a certain time. This is often around 5 - 7 pm, before the higher paying clients begin to arrive. This can be a very useful thing when you are traveling, to keep down the costs of meals eaten out each day.
* If you live in a country that tips, be fair with the tipping. That money is often an extremely important supplement to the earnings of the waiting and kitchen staff. They probably need to spend as carefully as you do.


Warnings

* Don't be a penny-pincher all the time; life is for enjoying after all. Splurge on really special occasions and don't feel guilty. Save up for such occasions so that you and your family can truly enjoy them.

Answer 2

dont do it lol but no seriously just go to places that are nice but not that expensive and maybe set a budget for a certain amount of dining out either each week or a few times a week also always use the dollar menu if you can and use cupons and for pizza get the speacials

Answer 3

If you've got more than one person on the budget you're better off just buying food and cooking at home...You Save Alot Of Money This Way !!!!!!!!!

If you're not gonna do that, then the easiest way is to set a budget limit of how much you are willing to spend per person and then look at the menus for food only in that price range per person to choose which food they want.

Also look at it in terms of quanitity for the price you're gonna pay...like I have a family of four, so if we went out to a fast food even if we only spent very little per person...the better deal is still to get the large pizza for $5 for everyone (see more food for less money that way)

Answer 4

Go to a place that isn't highly expensive. Don't save money by skimping on the tip, your server is probably struggling to make ends meet too. If you don't have the money to tip properly (atleast 18-20% for good service) than stay home.

Answer 5

Select cheap items from the menu and eat less items, and save.

Answer 6

Dutch treats work out for us (my wife and I). We'll meet up with a couple of couples for Pizza or Sushi and share.

Answer 7

If you have extra food left over, take it home and reheat it for the next time you want it such as the next day.

Answer 8

easy,stop ordering the most expensive stuff on the menu.Limit the amount of time you go out to eat,once a month maybe.

Answer 9

leave ur purse in ur home and dine out

Answer 10

coupons,but I'd reccommend making food at home.It is alot better for you and left overs