Eight Ways to Save Money at Restaurants
by Kristie Leong MD on Oct 03, 2007 with 16 Comments
Who doesn’t love eating out? But restaurant dining can get expensive. Here are ten ways to save money when eating out in restaurants.
We all know how expensive eating out at nice restaurants can be. If you do this on a regular basis, the expenses can really add up. But who can resist the temptation to let someone else do the cooking and the dishes?
Here are some easy ways to save money and still eat out at your favorite restaurants. Give these restaurant savings suggestions a try:
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Drink Water With Your Meal
With many soft drinks and alcoholic beverages being overpriced in restaurants, this can result in significant restaurant savings. If you aren’t going to be content with water, order iced tea since refills are complimentary.
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Split an Entrée With Your Dinner Companion
Since restaurants are serving such large portions these days, you may be able to split an entrée with a companion and still be comfortably full. Make sure the restaurant doesn’t charge a split plate charge before doing this.
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Look for Online Restaurant Discounts
Check the websites of your favorite restaurants and see if they offer an email club. Restaurants will often send discount coupons and savings to you periodically through email. You can also find online restaurant savings at restaurant.com. For a small fee, you can purchase a restaurant discount coupon that can result in significant savings.
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Save What You Don’t Eat for the Next Day
If you can’t eat all of your entree, take the remainder home in a doggy bag to eat for lunch on the following day.
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Avoid Ordering Dessert
At some restaurants, the desserts can cost almost as much as your entrée. If you can’t resist an after dinner treat, why not stop for an ice cream cone on the way home?
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Check Your Local Paper Regularly for Restaurant Coupons
Chain restaurants regularly publish restaurant discount coupons in local newspapers, particularly on Sunday. Be sure to check your paper regularly for new offerings.
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Join a Diner’s Club
Many of the larger cities offer two for one dining coupons for participating restaurants through a company called International Diner’s Club. You pay a fee to join and receive a packet of coupons good for a free entrée when one is purchased. This can be an excellent deal and a great way to try new restaurants and cuisines.
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Try a Buffet
Buffets can be a great deal. If you want to save even more, go to a lunch buffet. The buffet price is usually cheaper at lunch. Plus, you’ll be so full all of the food, you won’t need to purchase diner. Just don’t do this too often! It’s hard on the figure.
As you can see, eating out at restaurants doesn’t have to be expensive. Give some of these restaurant savings tips a try.
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Published in: Personal Finance
Ruby Hawk | Oct 3, 2007 | Reply
Good advise, I cut coupons, and we get many buy one ,get one free. It saves quiet a bit of money.
Mary Patricia Bird | Oct 3, 2007 | Reply
Great ideas. I didn’t know there was an online restaurant club. Thanks for sharing.
Gordon | Oct 5, 2007 | Reply
restaurant.com is a good site. I bought my $25 off coupon for $5. What a deal!
Jay | Oct 11, 2007 | Reply
I would have named this article “How to piss off your waiter in restaurants.”
Waiter: “So let me get this straight… you are just drinking water, splitting a meal, you have one of those annoying discount cards, having me pack up your leftovers, not having desert and using a coupon?”
You: “Yeah we are members of a Diners Club”
cj | May 16, 2008 | Reply
With the money you save you will be able to leave your waiter a decent tip, so why would they be upset?
M.O. | May 16, 2008 | Reply
The waiter would be upset because you give a portion of your total tab as tip. If your meal is ten bucks, they’ll be lucky to get a couple bucks. if your meal is 50, then they’ll get more. So it is about how much money you’re paying overall…
Besides, who REALLY passes off their savings to the server? Most people pocket the savings and tip 12-15% of their cheaper bill.
So yeah, the waiter wouldn’t be too happy with these ideas. My opinion. If you can’t afford it, eat at home. That way, you’re not puting people out of business by eating at their restaurants, using their resources and not paying a penny over their marginal cost! This puts restaurants out of business.
Linda | May 16, 2008 | Reply
First off you should tip your waitstaff at least 18-20% depending on level of service. They don\’t make a lot especially in lower family style restaurants.
If you split a meal or use a coupon, keep in mind what the meal would have cost had you not done that and tip accordingly.
If alcoholic beverages make up most of your tab, think about how many times your wait staff has serviced you. If you are a table of 5, do you combine drink orders so they don\’t have to keep running back and forth? You are not only paying for the food to be prepared for you but also to be waited on and the mess cleaned up after. The tip is for the total dining experience not just someone cooking a meal for you.
Rod | May 16, 2008 | Reply
It’s good to save, and it’s also good to show appreciation. If you appreciate the service you are getting, be gracious. It could be you.
Gentle Ben | May 16, 2008 | Reply
Restaurants usuall give too much anyway. I would rather get less than to pay more. They should cut down on how much they put on your plate.
Ruth | May 16, 2008 | Reply
Maybe this thought is too practical, however, don’t you think if some of us are experiencing difficult times. It would be better to continue to eat out using the tips/guidelines above, than not eating out at all?
Raul | May 16, 2008 | Reply
People should really try eating in if they can’t afford it. Otherwise they should go to really cheap places to eat such as Chinese or some Italian restaurants and the like (where sometimes tips are not even expected). Going to more expensive places should be reserved for special occassions or a once-or-twice-a-month kind of a thing.
Josey | May 17, 2008 | Reply
Great ideas. Also for families, see when they have kids eat free night.
ksoleh | May 18, 2008 | Reply
I guest, this is more in USA. I hope we do get coupons too in Malaysia.
Bob91 | May 18, 2008 | Reply
Dude, are you poor or something?
if you have to do all this stuff when you go out to eat you might aswell not go out at all, you ll be waisting your money. when you go out to a restaurant, you go there to enjoy yourself and eat what you want. worst article i have ever read
The Truth Speaker | May 18, 2008 | Reply
I tip according to the service rendered and not the amount of the meal.
redlaces40 | Jun 1, 2008 | Reply
Oh! By the way, for those who prefer a more tastier drink other than water, try a glass of water with a lemon slice or two and your favorite sweetener to make lemonade. Real cheap also!