I've never been one to think that dining out meant emptying your bank account to have a decent meal. I mean, come on, just because we're in a recession doesn't mean we have to eat like we are. Here are some strategies to keep you well-fed in 2009 while making sure your wallet stays fat. BON APPETIT!
- Utilize dining coupons on http://www.restaurant.com/!!! Restaurant.com offers discounted dining certificates for select restaurants all over the country. You can get a $25 gift certificate for a participating restaurant for only $10! Apply some additional online redemption codes/promos, like using this link courtesy of coupon cabin:
http://cobrand.restaurant.com/index.asp?prti=3644&aid=10418235&pid=1348619&sid=fc_574_11919_2009-01-05_12
or this one from Travelzoo that's valid through 01/12/2009:
http://www.restaurant.com/offer/travelzoo/index.asp?prti=4426&raid=2105,
and enjoy an extra 50% off the listed gc price! That means you can get that same $25 certificate for only $5!!! Just make sure to read the fine print and use the gc on valid days and times. And, granted, there are some minimum order requirements, but who cares when a $35 meal will, in the end, only cost you $15!
- Rack up reservation points on http://www.opentable.com/!!! OpenTable.com will allow you to redeem your points for dining cheques that are as good as cash at any of the restaurants on their site. 2,000 points will get you a $20 dining cheque. Most restaurants award 100 points per reservation, but if you're flexible and don't mind dining out during less busy hours, some restaurants will give you 1,000 points for making and keeping your reservation! So, technically, you can dine out twice and get $20! Here is the link for the bonus point reservation chart for San Francisco: http://www.opentable.com/diprogram.aspx?m=4&ref=1203. I just made a 1,000 point reservation for a restaurant in SF and will be using one of my discounted restaurant.com certificates!
- Enjoy discounted pre fixe meals at restaurants participating in San Francisco's DINE ABOUT TOWN!!! http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/taste/dineabouttown/ highlights all the restaurants included in the City by the Bay's 8th annual Dine About Town where you can get a 3 course pre fixe lunch for $21.95 or dinner for $34.95! And I KNOW that SF isn't the only city to offer these kinds of deals. Search your local papers to see if there is a similar program in your area. And don't forget make your reservations on OpenTable!
- Sign up for email newsletters from your favorite restaurant chains!!! These monthly (sometimes weekly) newsletters from these restaurants usually come with coupons that you can redeem the next time you dine at their establishment. I recently received coupons for a free chocolate dessert (one per person at your table) from Pasta Pomodoro and a coupon for $1.50 off dinner at Fresh Choice. In the past, I've received dozens of discounts, including $20 discount coupons, free appetizers, free desserts, and even buy one get one free entree deals.
Let me know what other ways you've been able to eat out for cheap!
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