Tips on how to save money at Restaurants and Fast Food Places!😀 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice Johnson · 11-25-2021, 11:08 PM

Restaurants give HUGE Portions, easily enough for two people to eat. Split an entree with a Friend.

If you're not comfortable splitting a meal, some restaurants offer but one, get one free meals and each person gets their own entree. You can even go by yourself and just ask the Waiter to box the second meal and they most likely will happily oblige as they most likely weren't expecting you to eat both meals in the same sitting in the first place.

Avoid buying food you can make yourself at home such as pasta and macaroni and cheese.

Go during Happy Hour. Yardhouse has half off appetizers for Happy Hour for entrees and Appetizers. For example, their hamburger Sliders that come with fries are $12.99 regular price, but are $6.49 during Happy Hour. I took advantage of this deal and I got 4 sliders that were the equivalent of two regular sized burgers.

Happy hour also refers to drinks. Flannigan's has roughly $3.75 Margarita, Pina Colada, Miami Vice, and Strawberry Daquiri whereas regular price is almost $8. But you can also have non alcoholic versions of these for
roughly $ 3.50 anytime. You can also ask for these non alcoholic drinks and ask for them to go and then spike them with a .99 bottle of rum from a liquor store.

Use a Loyalty App. For example, Chili's gives free chips and salsa with the app a $5 minimum purchase. If you order a $3 soda and $3 fries, you get an appetizer (Chips and salsa), soda, and a side(Fries)for $6. They give a free dessert for Birthdays. Panera Bread also gives a free bakery item for birthdays.

Sign up for Subscriptions for a set price. Panera Bread has or had free daily coffee for $8.99 a month. Refills are free as long as it's the same visit.

McDonald's has $1 large fries through their app. MOST fast food places, the VALUE fries (small) are at least $1.00.

Go during Lunch. Lunch is generally about $3 cheaper than Dinner.

Take advantage of "Kids eat free," deals. If you have one kid and you and your Spouse split an entree, you get three meals for the price of one meal.

Many Restaurants have Senior Discounts. If you, your Spouse, your Elderly Mom and Dad and your kid go out for dinner, you and your Spouse split the meal, your Elderly parents split their discounted meals, and your kid eats free, well, you just saved a lot of money.

Take advantage of free cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster. Red Lobster gives free cheddar biscuits with every order. Technically, you can just order a $3 soda at a table and get free unlimited cheddar biscuits. You just got an unlimited appetizer for just $3.

Take advantage of Special deals such as Chili's 3 for $10.99 deal. An appetizer, an entree, and a non alcoholic beverage. Not bad. The only catch is these are from a set list.

Chili's has or had a two for $25 where you and a Friend each get an entree, appetizer, and dessert. Not bad.

Flannigan's has a half chicken and fries for $5.99 with a purchase of a soda(About $3). Roughly $9 for a half chicken, fries, and a soda. Not bad.

KFC has a fill up box for about $6. Two pieces of chicken, a biscuit, soda, potato fries or mashed potatoes, and a cookie.

Order water instead of a beverage. It's free.

Go on Special days. Buffalo wild wings has discounted wings on Tuesday and Thursday.

Ask if you can order off the kid's menu. Some places allow Adults to order off the kid's menu. Yardhouse had a kiddie burger, soda, and fries that was seriously as big as an Adult's Burger, fries, and soda. For only about $8.

Take advantage of gift certificates where you get about $10 more than what you actually paid for it, like buying a $25 Restaurants gift certificate for $15.

Choose takeout instead of dine in service. You generally don't have to tip on takeout service since they just box it up and hand it to you versus dine in service where someone actually caters deeply to you(Refills, asking you how you are doing, etc).

Asking for the half order is cheaper than the full order as portions are HUGE at restaurants. So the half order will fill you up as well.

Take advantage of unlimited food such as Olive Garden's unlimited breadsticks, and soup or salad. You can order as many soups or salads you want with your breadsticks. The cost is about $7. You can probably split this with a friend. Two people get their fill for only about $7.

Try a Buffet. You can get as many plates of food for about $10.

Many Fast Food Places have a Value Menu where you can get a burger, fries, soda and a Dessert for about $5.

Go on a Monday or Tuesday when Restaurants are generally emptier. Deals are better when the Restaurant is more emptier than a crowded day.

Compare Restaurants. I went to Red Lobster and a steak and Lobster tail is about $37 before tax and tip, whereas at Flannigan's, a ribeye steak, cheese sticks, a Pina colada (Happy hour) , tax and tip are about $36. You get more food at Flannigan's than Red Lobster.

Order an Appetizer as your Entree. For example, Yardhouse's Fried Calamari is a huge portion and can fill up as well as an entree.

PracTz · 11-26-2021, 03:42 AM

And the Ultimate Tip on How to Save Money at Restaurants and Fast Food:

STAY HOME and eat your own food there!

Janice Johnson · 11-26-2021, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

And the Ultimate Tip on How to Save Money at Restaurants and Fast Food:

STAY HOME and eat your own food there!

Party, er, Restaurant Pooper...

Janice Johnson · 11-28-2021, 05:58 PM

Having a Coupon is a good way to save money at Restaurants. For example, I have used ,"Save 20 percent off of check,"(Before tax, excluding gratuity, 2-4-6-8 menu, and excluding beverages) at Denny's. If you buy say the roughly $17 steak and eggs meal, you pay $13.60 before tax and tip. With tax and tip, you pay roughly $17.10. Basically, you get free tax and tip by using the 20 percent off Coupon.

11-25-2021, 11:08 PM	#1
Janice Johnson Commercial Lover Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 30, 2003 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 4,740	Tips on how to save money at Restaurants and Fast Food Places!😀 Restaurants give HUGE Portions, easily enough for two people to eat. Split an entree with a Friend. If you're not comfortable splitting a meal, some restaurants offer but one, get one free meals and each person gets their own entree. You can even go by yourself and just ask the Waiter to box the second meal and they most likely will happily oblige as they most likely weren't expecting you to eat both meals in the same sitting in the first place. Avoid buying food you can make yourself at home such as pasta and macaroni and cheese. Go during Happy Hour. Yardhouse has half off appetizers for Happy Hour for entrees and Appetizers. For example, their hamburger Sliders that come with fries are $12.99 regular price, but are $6.49 during Happy Hour. I took advantage of this deal and I got 4 sliders that were the equivalent of two regular sized burgers. Happy hour also refers to drinks. Flannigan's has roughly $3.75 Margarita, Pina Colada, Miami Vice, and Strawberry Daquiri whereas regular price is almost $8. But you can also have non alcoholic versions of these for roughly $ 3.50 anytime. You can also ask for these non alcoholic drinks and ask for them to go and then spike them with a .99 bottle of rum from a liquor store. Use a Loyalty App. For example, Chili's gives free chips and salsa with the app a $5 minimum purchase. If you order a $3 soda and $3 fries, you get an appetizer (Chips and salsa), soda, and a side(Fries)for $6. They give a free dessert for Birthdays. Panera Bread also gives a free bakery item for birthdays. Sign up for Subscriptions for a set price. Panera Bread has or had free daily coffee for $8.99 a month. Refills are free as long as it's the same visit. McDonald's has $1 large fries through their app. MOST fast food places, the VALUE fries (small) are at least $1.00. Go during Lunch. Lunch is generally about $3 cheaper than Dinner. Take advantage of "Kids eat free," deals. If you have one kid and you and your Spouse split an entree, you get three meals for the price of one meal. Many Restaurants have Senior Discounts. If you, your Spouse, your Elderly Mom and Dad and your kid go out for dinner, you and your Spouse split the meal, your Elderly parents split their discounted meals, and your kid eats free, well, you just saved a lot of money. Take advantage of free cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster. Red Lobster gives free cheddar biscuits with every order. Technically, you can just order a $3 soda at a table and get free unlimited cheddar biscuits. You just got an unlimited appetizer for just $3. Take advantage of Special deals such as Chili's 3 for $10.99 deal. An appetizer, an entree, and a non alcoholic beverage. Not bad. The only catch is these are from a set list. Chili's has or had a two for $25 where you and a Friend each get an entree, appetizer, and dessert. Not bad. Flannigan's has a half chicken and fries for $5.99 with a purchase of a soda(About $3). Roughly $9 for a half chicken, fries, and a soda. Not bad. KFC has a fill up box for about $6. Two pieces of chicken, a biscuit, soda, potato fries or mashed potatoes, and a cookie. Order water instead of a beverage. It's free. Go on Special days. Buffalo wild wings has discounted wings on Tuesday and Thursday. Ask if you can order off the kid's menu. Some places allow Adults to order off the kid's menu. Yardhouse had a kiddie burger, soda, and fries that was seriously as big as an Adult's Burger, fries, and soda. For only about $8. Take advantage of gift certificates where you get about $10 more than what you actually paid for it, like buying a $25 Restaurants gift certificate for $15. Choose takeout instead of dine in service. You generally don't have to tip on takeout service since they just box it up and hand it to you versus dine in service where someone actually caters deeply to you(Refills, asking you how you are doing, etc). Asking for the half order is cheaper than the full order as portions are HUGE at restaurants. So the half order will fill you up as well. Take advantage of unlimited food such as Olive Garden's unlimited breadsticks, and soup or salad. You can order as many soups or salads you want with your breadsticks. The cost is about $7. You can probably split this with a friend. Two people get their fill for only about $7. Try a Buffet. You can get as many plates of food for about $10. Many Fast Food Places have a Value Menu where you can get a burger, fries, soda and a Dessert for about $5. Go on a Monday or Tuesday when Restaurants are generally emptier. Deals are better when the Restaurant is more emptier than a crowded day. Compare Restaurants. I went to Red Lobster and a steak and Lobster tail is about $37 before tax and tip, whereas at Flannigan's, a ribeye steak, cheese sticks, a Pina colada (Happy hour) , tax and tip are about $36. You get more food at Flannigan's than Red Lobster. Order an Appetizer as your Entree. For example, Yardhouse's Fried Calamari is a huge portion and can fill up as well as an entree.
	Last edited by Janice Johnson; 11-26-2021 at 10:48 AM.

11-26-2021, 03:42 AM	#2
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	And the Ultimate Tip on How to Save Money at Restaurants and Fast Food: STAY HOME and eat your own food there!

11-28-2021, 05:58 PM	#4
Janice Johnson Commercial Lover Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 30, 2003 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 4,740	Having a Coupon is a good way to save money at Restaurants. For example, I have used ,"Save 20 percent off of check,"(Before tax, excluding gratuity, 2-4-6-8 menu, and excluding beverages) at Denny's. If you buy say the roughly $17 steak and eggs meal, you pay $13.60 before tax and tip. With tax and tip, you pay roughly $17.10. Basically, you get free tax and tip by using the 20 percent off Coupon.