Is eating out part of your daily work lunch routine? Or ideal date activity? Maybe you only go to a restaurant when you celebrate birthdays or anniversaries? Either way, we’re sure you will find some useful tips on how to cut your restaurant expenses to reach your budgets!
We get you, it’s amazing to afford some well-deserved rest while being served freshly made food. Is it even worth it to save on such pleasurable activity? Yes! You can still enjoy the ambience of restaurants, takeaways or time outside with your closest ones if you follow our simple saving tips.
1. Order from Zero Waste Restaurants
In many cities there are apps that help restaurants, bakeries and shops sell surplus food instead of throwing it away. You browse what is left at the end of the day and pick up a bag of good food for much less than the usual price. It’s a pity to let it go to waste! Research your area for businesses supporting this idea and see how much you save!
2. Bring Your own Lunch Box
It has so many advantages at once! If you’re looking for a takeaway meal you’re saving both nature & your wallet. Secondly, if you ordered a bigger portion at the table and couldn’t finish the meal it is all right to take the food home. Maybe you can use it as a lunch for the next day and save money!
3. Late Lunch as a Dinner
If you eat lunch out a bit later than usual, you’ll only be craving lighter dinner. That might also be helpful if you’re following a diet in the evenings! Not to mention you can use the leftovers from your own takeaway box.
4. Drink Tap Water
Save money on drinks and drink tap water! Restaurants profit the most out of additional purchases such as drinks. In many places restaurants offer tap water for free, so just ask.
5. Leave the City Center
Location can make such a huge difference in pricing! Restaurants in the city center tend to increase their prices due to tourism and higher rent. Maybe the greatest deal is just two bus stops away, so keep exploring!
6. Eat Local Cuisine
If you live next to the shore, it’s less expensive to order seafood than in a landlocked country. Think about the local produce! You don’t always need to have all kinds of exotic fruit on the table.
7. Choose Casual Restaurants
If it’s just your regular day out, don’t spend too much money on overpriced and fancy restaurants where it’s common to tip. Sometimes, to enjoy the vibe, you don’t need more than a nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Save fancy for later!
8. Track How Often You Eat Out
Try tracking the amount of times per month you order takeaway or eat outside. If you log your expenses in an app like Spendee, an Eating Out category shows the total each month, and seeing it in a chart really makes a difference. Try spending less on restaurants by simply limiting how often you order. If it’s hard to reduce the expenses at first, you can try inviting your friends over for a home cooked meal and have fun together doing it.
9. Create a Budget
Now that you know how often you actually eat out per week or month, you can calculate your average price per meal. How much do you want to save? Create a budget for yourself and stick to the limit!
10. Don’t Get The Cheapest Thing on the Menu
If you really want to make the most out of your money, don’t order one of the cheapest meals. Even though some things might look cheap on the menu, they aren’t a steal! Think about what’s the meal that gets you the most value. A home-made pasta dish may cost you a few dollars to make yourself, while you’d be paying at least three times more for the same “easy recipe” in a restaurant.
11. Check out Reviews Before You Go In
The last thing you want to do is spend a lot of money (and time!) on an unpleasant experience. If you love discovering new places in your area, always make sure that your money is worth giving it a try.
12. Follow Restaurants & Discount Websites
Lots of restaurants offer happy hour deals, loyalty apps or coupons. Getting emails with the best deals is a great way to save money in a restaurant you visit often. Some even offer a birthday treat, so make the most of it!
13. All You Can Eat
If you’re feeling hungry, “all you can eat” places are the best options for a satisfying sized meal. We wouldn’t recommend it as a daily source of food, but once in a while it won’t hurt!
14. Bring Your Own
In some countries, many restaurants allow BYO (bring your own), which means you can bring your own wine and they open it for you, usually for a corkage fee. Why not save money on alcohol? If there’s no such restaurant in your area, you can enjoy a glass of wine at home before you go out.
15. Appetizers: Skip or Split
Remember what we said about additional purchases? I’m sure you do, but it’s easy to forget it while looking at the menu full of delicious-sounding appetizers. You can either skip them and strengthen your will, or you can split them with your friend.
16. Split Adult Portions with Kids
When you eat out as a family, kids often don’t know what to order and barely finish even a kids’ meal. Next time you go out try ordering a bigger portion for yourself and split it with kids.
17. Go for Brunch or Kids Size
Are you enjoying a quick lunch break from work but don’t crave a bigger portion? Brunch dishes, lunch specials and smaller portions are a perfect option to keep you full before you go home and enjoy your home cooked meal again.
18. Pay Per Weight
Buffets that charge by weight are popular in many places. It is a bit tricky, because you always need to think about what you’re putting on your plate. Meat and potatoes tend to be quite heavy, compared to rice or salad. You’ll need to try it out several times until you figure out what’s a bargain!
19. Check Out The Menu in Advance
Whenever you go out, try checking out the menu in advance, ideally on the website. If you find yourself looking for a restaurant outside and you don’t see prices in the menu, it’s a big red flag and you should find another place that’s going to be better for you!
20. Don’t make it a habit, make it a reward!
Change how you think about eating out. It shouldn’t only be seen as a quick way to get food, rather as a culinary experience and a chance to spend quality time with people. Bon appetit!
