Has frequent restaurant dining been eating up your budget? Instead of banning yourself from eating out entirely, make fine dining fit into your approved expenses category with moderation and strategic planning. Though many upscale establishments do not offer regular coupons, there are still plenty of ways to save at restaurants.
Ashley Langston, lifestyle blogger at FrugalCouponLiving.com, is an expert at finding ways to live well on less. She enjoys dining out about twice a week, which includes family dinners as well as special date nights with her husband. Langston believes that most people can find ways to make occasional fine dining fit within their budget, allowing you to savor meals prepared by top chefs and try out culinary hot spots in your city, without breaking the bank. Langston offers the following tips to keep dining costs lean:
Dine out during lunch time.
Opting to dine during lunch rather than dinner is one of the simplest ways to lower your restaurant bill. Lunch prices are traditionally less than those on the dinner menu, though portions are generally smaller. Getting your gourmand fix during lunch hours means you can satisfy your foodie fix for less money.
Take advantage of mid-week specials.
Convert your weekend dinner dates to mid-week outings when there are more specials and fewer crowds. Evening dates during the week mean you can take advantage of happy hour prices. Langston and her husband use this strategy to save big by visiting more expensive restaurants mid-week. They do not mind sitting at the bar of an upscale restaurant to enjoy happy hour specials including discounted drinks, salads and appetizers. This approach can help those on a budget enjoy a classy restaurant, without a hefty bill.
Split a meal or appetizer.
The recommended meat serving for an adult is just four ounces. Our society tends to favor larger portions, and most restaurants serve plates that exceed the nutritional guidelines for caloric intake. One effective way to cut costs and calories is to simply split an entree with your friend or date. If you’re still hungry, you can order an additional soup, salad or side dish, which will supplement your half entree yet keep costs low.
Share family-style portions for large parties.
A restaurant that serves extra-large, family-style meals can be a cost-effective dining option for large parties. When Langston recently had friends visiting from out-of-town, she took them to Carmine’s, a popular 1930s-style restaurant in Washington with locations in New York and other parts of the world, known for serving Southern Italian cuisine in family-style portions. Langston had been searching for a restaurant with great food and atmosphere, as well as affordable prices. She found that the large size entrees at Carmine’s can feed 6 to 8 people, which means a group can pay as little as $10 per person, when sharing large plates.
Beware of beverage markups.
Restaurants have a large markup on non-alcoholic beverages like soda, coffee and tea. These menu items cost a restaurant a matter of cents to make, but they are often marked up to a few dollars each. Sticking with standard ice water can be a refreshing option that has the added benefit of neither extra calories nor extra cost.
Alcoholic beverages like wine can be marked up one and a half to four times the wholesale price. For the wine enthusiast looking to cut back on costs, inquire in advance if the restaurant allows BYOB (bring your own bottle). Instead of paying premium for a glass or bottle of wine ordered off their wine list, simply brown bag your own wine and pay a corking fee. In some cities, restaurants with a liquor license will even waive corkage fees on select weekday evenings to draw more business from wine connoisseurs who prefer wines from their own collection.
Buy online discount vouchers.
Langston shares another great way to save at restaurants is to shop online. Websites like Restaurant.com, LivingSocial and Groupon offer discount vouchers to a variety of restaurants. You will find an assortment of ritzy restaurants, brand new dining options, and under-new-management eateries featured on these group deal sites. Purchasing discounted restaurant vouchers can allow you to try out new places or save money at your favorite restaurants, but be sure to read the fine print and restrictions.
Save up gift cards.
If you love dining out at particular restaurants or have one you have been wanting to try, let your friends and family know that a restaurant gift card is on your wish list for your upcoming birthday and holidays. Family members for whom you are “hard-to-shop” will appreciate the restaurant gift card suggestion, as this is something that can be easily purchased online or at their local grocery store.
Langston shares that a growing number of restaurants offer bonus gift cards with qualified purchases as we enter the holiday season. This can be an additional method to get the most bang for your buck and provide a practical or splurge-worthy excuse to dine out. Saving up your own gift cards can help you pay less out-of-pocket when dining out.
If your taste for fine dining is putting a dent in your budget, enlist these strategies to save more money. You need not deprive yourself of gourmet dining experiences when trying to spend less on food costs. Embrace your epicurean lifestyle while savoring the sweet rewards of savvy spending strategies.
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How to Make Fine Dining More Affordable originally appeared on usnews.com
