by Bridget N. Watts

Created on: August 03, 2008   Last Updated: August 24, 2008

Now and then we all like to treat ourselves to a nice evening out at our favorite restaurant. Unfortunately if you are not careful these days, having a meal outdoors can turn out to be really expensive, especially if you have a large family. However, it does not have to be like that. Here are some great tips and suggestions on how you can easily save a lot of money on your dining experience.

Special offers

Most restaurants offer a daily special, which is usually a lot cheaper than any of the regular meals available. Some restaurants might also have special deals on certain days, for example Tuesday pizza night or Wednesday all you can eat spare ribs. Do not be embarrassed to bring your discount coupons to the restaurant or to ask the waiter if they have any special deals that you might not know about. Also try to look out for early bird specials that some restaurants offer if you have your meal there before a certain time. Do avoid going out on special holidays, as meal prices tend to be a lot higher on those days than usual.

Amount of food

Before you go out to dinner make sure that you have a light snack. If you are not starving by the time you arrive at the restaurant, you are less likely to order too much food. Instead of ordering a 3-course meal, why not settle for just a main course? Better yet, you could only order a big appetizer. Restaurants often give you much more food than you really need to eat, therefore you could also decide to share a main course between two people. Not all restaurants will allow this, but it never hurts to ask.

Beverages

Skip coffee and dessert and have it at home instead. Beverages are what can make dining out a much more expensive experience than it needs to be. This applies even more to the ordering of alcoholic beverages. However, if you do want to enjoy some wine with your meal make sure you order the house wine, which is usually just as good as any of the more expensive wines they offer. If you are with more than two people, it is usually cheaper to order an entire bottle instead of paying for it by the glass.

Getting your money's worth

When leaving the restaurant make sure you ask to take your leftovers with you. Do not let your embarrassment stop you from enjoying a great meal twice. You have paid for it, therefore you are allowed to do whatever you want with your food. Leaving a tip is the polite thing to do, and I would never suggest skipping this in order to save money. However, if the restaurant has already added a service charge on your bill there really is no need to leave an additional tip. If you follow the above suggestions you could save lots of money on eating out.

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