A lot of people feel that eating out is one of the great joys of modern life. The problem that many people face is the fact that this can be expensive and they want to save money. Fortunately, there are a number of ways that you can save money and still enjoy eating out. Knowing these ways will help you enjoy your time while not worrying about the costs.
Never Go Out Without Checking For an Online Discount Voucher
All of the popular chain-brand restaurants will have discount vouchers online, if you take the time to look for them. They are generally easy to find and a great way to save money while enjoying your favourite dishes. The discounts and vouchers could be a 2 for 1 on courses, a free drink or an amount off the total food bill. Regardless of what they offer, they are always worth checking out.
Before you head out to eat, you should look at the restaurant section of your favourite discount and freebie websites like WOW Free Stuff. These websites will generally update their offers each day so you do not have to worry about validity. Of course, it is important to note that many of these discount offers will be time sensitive so you need to take the times to read the terms and conditions. This will ensure that you are using the vouchers at the right time and getting the discount that you want.
Know About the Seasonal Offers
There are 2 ways that seasonal offers work. The first is that restaurants will want to use the holidays and certain events to their advantage and will offer set menus or discounts to get you to celebrate with them. If you are planning to eat out anyway, you should look for these offers. Seasonal offers could come up for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s day, Christmas or around the school holidays.
The other way that this works will be during the times of year when restaurants expect to be less busy. During the holiday season, they are going to be busy, but at other times of the year, they have to drive business in another way. At these times, restaurants may offer cheaper deals to try and persuade you to eat out and visit them.
This means that before you head out to a restaurant, you need to consider the time of the year. This will help you find the seasonal offers that you should be using. Of course, it is important to note that school holiday offers will result in a lot of children in the restaurant.
Use Restaurants to Entertain Kids during the Holidays
During the school holidays and half-term breaks, many family-friendly restaurants will have child-related offers. These restaurants know that parents are looking for ways to entertain their children during the holidays without breaking their bank accounts. Discounted meals will be perfect for these parents and they are fun for adults as well.
A lot of chain restaurants will have deals where children eat for a low price when an adult main is bought as well. This will generally happen during the school holidays and offers you a great way to spend time with your children. You can also enjoy a family meal out for a fraction of the usual costs.
Sign Up To Emails and Newsletters
Al of the major restaurants will have their own email list and newsletter than you can sign up for. The will use these lists to share all of the latest deals and offers to people. You should look at signing up to the list of your favourite restaurants so you can be one of the first to hear about any new menus, discounts or other offers.
There is also a rising trend of restaurants having their own apps. When you download the restaurant app, you will get special sign-up treats directly to your phone. They will also alert you to the offers that the restaurant has at any time. Some of the sign-up treats for apps include free starters, an amount off the bill or a free drink.
Make Use of the Loyalty Programs On Offer
Coffee shop loyalty cards are something that most people know about where you will get a free coffee after getting a set number of stamps. However, most people do not realize that restaurants offer this as well. Discount offers are a great way for restaurants to get customers, but offering a loyalty program is a way to ensure that you keep coming back to them as you earn points and freebies each time you eat there.
There are some restaurants that are more open about their loyalty programs than others. You will generally be able to pick up a card in the restaurant, register it online or via the app and then start collecting points. Most of these schemes will assign a point to a set amount that you have to spend. Once you have enough points, you will be able to get something for free.
There are some restaurants that have a birthday special as part of their reward program. This means that you will be able to get something for free on your birthday when you are a member. Other restaurants will offer better rewards because they are more expensive to eat at. You could get free tasters, exclusive monthly rewards and priority booking with some of them. The discount offers from these restaurants will make it cheaper to treat yourself to a more expensive meal.
Be Flexible With When You Eat
If you can be flexible with when you go to the restaurant, you will find that you can save a lot more when you eat out. A lot of restaurants will have an early-bird menu which allows you to get a number of courses for a set price. If you are looking at a restaurant which is close to a theatre, you might be able to get a pre-theatre menu. Many of these restaurants will not limit these menus to theatregoers.
If you can arrange to eat out at lunchtime, you will generally save money as well. Many restaurants offer fixed lunchtime menus which work out to be cheaper than the dinner ones. You also tend to drink less alcohol during lunch which lowers your bill.
Be a Mystery Diner
If your love for eating out goes beyond wanting to spend time with people, being a mystery diner is the perfect choice. You will need to visit and review restaurants and hotels then be reimbursed for your time and food.
Mystery diners are generally organized by external companies and watchdogs to check and evaluate the level of customer service, the level of the food and the overall dining experience. You will pretend to be a real customer and keep note of your experience. You will have to provide a full and honest review at the end of this.
There are a lot of tips that you can use to make dining out a much cheaper experience. There is no reason why you should miss out on something just to save a bit of money.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.
