Ways to Eat Out for Less

Tips for Eating Out on the Cheap

By: Sirio Ibáñez López

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Is there something more anticlimactic when dining out, than vertigo-inducing pre-check-tension? Well possibly instant food poisoning, but the point is that when you are trying to relax, stressing about the cost of your food is the last thing that you need. You don't have to come up with a small fortune to enjoy the simple joys of a bit of socializing, a little bit of research followed up by some good planning will maximize value for money.
Here we discuss some effective ways to eat out for less:

Check the Local Press and Internet Media for Discount Dining

Read the 'food' and 'going out' columns in the local papers and websites, look out for places known for giving generous servings and for decent prices. For those of you in New York, The New York Magazine offers readers of its Restaurant Section, guides on how to eat out cheaply, including a $5-and-under "cheap eats" listing and another about $1 meals. Things being what they are, everyone has something to gain from such offers, so expect to see some where you live.

Many places are now offering Recession Specials as a response to the cash-flow crisis that is affecting so many Americans. Deals are to be found at top-end, mid-range and no-frills places, which goes to show that this is affecting everybody and nobody can afford to fail to respond. Whether you are after some tacos, a good lunch, Japanese for dinner or even cocktails with friends, there is money to be saved by tracking down the recessions specials that fit the bill. Check on the Internet for the best and most up-to-date deals in your local area.
Here is a list of some of the best recession specials offered by restaurant chains.

Timing it Right

The time of the day and day of the week can make a big difference to what you end up paying. Expect to find more discount dining offers during traditionally quieter times such as weekdays and lunch times, as opposed to during weekends and evenings. By taking advantage of these less expensive time periods you could save up to fifty percent on eating out, it will just take a little preparation and in some cases you may need to book ahead.

Value the 'Value for Money'

Not all restaurants serve the same food at the same prices, some traditional cuisine is offered at far cheaper prices than others. Mexican food is a classic example, it's an old favorite which never fails to provide value for money and a great atmosphere. Chinese food has also stood the test of time and many cheap-as-chips Chinese restaurants buzz with members of their local Chinese communities and organized visiting tours. These people like their food and there can be no better recommendation than their continued and committed patronage.

There could be lots of options out there, so look through your local media to see what people say about the various places on offer. You don't have to limit yourself either, there are well priced Thai, Vietnamese, Lebanese, South American, Korean and Indian restaurants, and these are just the most common. You just need to be aware of what immigrant communities live nearby and check out which places get the best reviews for quality and pricing.

Bring Your Own Bottle (BYOB)

Painful and recurring experience should have taught us all that one of the most expensive things about eating out is not the food per se but the drinks. You can save yourself a lot of cash eating out by opting for a place that will let you take your own wine or alcohol for a corking fee. These places frequently also offer good value food, so it could be one of the must-have characteristics to look out for. Check reviews and possibly pop by on a representative day to see if you like the atmosphere.

Bring Your Own Food (BYOF)

Eating out for less may mean you need to get creative. Alcohol is not the only thing that you can supply in your bid to cut costs. Many people take their own fish to restaurants, where they have it cooked to their liking for an agreed price. Costs, limitations, and eagerness on the restaurants behalf are likely to vary so you should ask around, make some phone calls and consider places near popular fishing areas for instance. You may even be able to find a place that let you take your own meat, as is the case with New York's Moonshine. On one occasion, I even saw a place that agreed to cook some people's hand picked mushrooms!

The trick here is to claim that the ingredient in question is very personal to you in hope of bringing out the foodie in the manager's recession-hardened heart. Seriously though, appeal to the personal side of things rather than the economical on this one.

Exploit Special Events

Certain festivals, anniversaries and other special events can be the perfect place to enjoy a bargain meal. Restaurants may take advantage of upcoming anniversaries to remind customers of their existence by offering great food at discount prices. Look out for previous announcements in your local press, as these events will almost certainly be loudly trumpeted as part of their obvious marketing objectives.

Local festivals will sometimes be cheap to eat at, as they can be partially funded by local government or other sponsors. Be careful because the popularity of certain events is sometimes used to make a fast buck on food and drink. Do some research and find out what happened on previous occasions or what they are planning to do this time around. Research is everything here, you will find all sorts of events taking place if you look. The Internet is fast becoming an essential source for this kind of info.

Extreme Measures

If you don't mind asking for the children's or senior's menus you could save money on your dinners by opting for those. They will not always be universally available though. Another option is to ask for a partial menu or dish instead of the whole serving, in exchange for a cheaper price.

A more attractive option may be to become a mystery shopper. It would mean that you would actually get paid to eat at and rate, the quality of products or service in restaurants. Mystery shopper opportunities come up frequently and can easily be found on the Internet, keep an eye out for scams though.

So Before You Start Looking...

Remember that the key to affordable dining is to think outside the box and to keep your eyes peeled. If you enjoy dining out on a regular basis, it should come naturally to read up on what's happening in your local area. This is essentially all you need to do, the info always gets around quickly, maybe too quickly. The opportunities are out there waiting for you to take advantage of them.

Grub Street Writing and Translation: Leaving out the parts that people skip

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