7 Ways to Save When Dining Out

Dining out is a rare treat nowadays. What use to be a 2 – 3 time a week habit has been reduced to once in a blue moon. And while it was missed at first, I now find that I am under-whelmed when I head out for a bite to eat. The main reason for this is that my increased time spent cooking has turned me into a pretty darn good cook.

When we do go out it is usually for something that I can’t cook myself or haven’t been adventurous enough to try and make — chicken wings are my downfall.

We headed out yesterday for wings and I wanted to share some ways to save when dining out:

1. Go during off hours to miss the long waits and save time. Remember time is money, and your time can be better spent than waiting for a table.
2. Hit the early-bird specials. Most restaurants have special menus or lower pricing between 2:00 – 4:00 or 3:00 – 5:00.
3. Fill up on the bottom-less salad bowl that’s being offered at many restaurants. They basically bring out a big bowl of salad and if you finish that they will bring you more.
4. Order an appetizer as your meal to keep costs down.
5. Ask you server about the portion sizes. Some meals are so large they can easily be split (but do that yourself so as not to incur the additional small fee that some places charge for this). On the flip side, some appetizers and meals are so small that they are not worth the money.
6. Water is free. But, if you must partake in a libation ask if they have any drink specials. Most places have half price or 2-for-1 specials during off-peak times.
7. Ask for a doggie bag and bring your leftovers home. A simple reheat in the microwave or oven and you’ve got yourself another meal. If you’re bringing home items that were served with dressing or sauces you can ask the server for little to-go sizes of those too.

My biggest tip is to actually eat at home. Our wing-extravaganza was less than perfect. Even at an off-peak time the restaurant was packed, the food was undercooked and I found myself wanting to learn how to make killer hot wings at home in the oven or on the grill.

Please share with me any more ways to save when dining out and also pass along any secret hot wing recipes that you might have. I would be very grateful for that.

Bon Appetit!