9 EASY Tips to Save Money Eating Out (Did You Know About #1??)

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If you're trying to figure out how to save money while eating out – we have 9 EASY tips that you can do. Every penny counts!

How To Save Money Eating Out – 9 Tips to SAVE!

Eating out these days is super expensive, so we're always looking for ways to save. In fact, spending money on food, is something I just don't enjoy (at all!).

However, there have been times in our lives where eating at home just DOES NOT work (between the three kids, some days we had up to six activities between from 4 PM and 9 PM . . . crazy town!).

We have lots of ideas for meals to eat on the go on nights when the kids activities are out of hand, as well as ideas for meals to take along on vacation to make your vacation stress free, but sometimes, it's going to be inevitable that you're going to need to dine out or hit up a fast food joint.

So how do you save money eating out??

While we don't eat out much, and certainly not very extravagantly, even two to three meals out per week can really hit a budget when you're feeding a family of five. And, while I know that fast food isn't always the healthiest option and wouldn't be my first choice most nights, by limiting the number of meals that we do eat out I feel like it's occasionally worth the splurge to save my sanity.

Can you really save money when going out to dinner?

Absolutely! The key with how to save money eating out is going to be planning ahead. Knowing what restaurants offer special promos, coupons, rewards, etc. – and knowing how to use them will go along way.

Here are 9 tips to save money when eating out:

1. Bring your own cup (BYOC).
This will vary by location and you may want to call and confirm, but several restaurants offer $.99 soft drinks if you bring your own reusable cup from their chain. You can keep any extra cups in your car in a Ziploc bag so you'll always have them handy. A few places that we've found offer this are Cabo Bob's, Fuzzy's Taco Shop, Mighty Fine Burgers, and more.

2. Get the restaurant app.
SO many places have an app now, and most not only will give you something free for signing up, but you'll also get enrolled in the restaurants rewards program. That means anything from specials deals to free food, so definitely take advantage.

3. Sign up for emails / texts.
Similar to the app savings, a lot of places will offer a discount of sorts to sign up for their emails and / or text messages (especially watch for a welcome email!).  This is also a great way to get notified of any special promotions a restaurant is running.

4. Know the specials.
Most restaurants have reduced pricing earlier in the night or offer a happy hour. Some will also have specials on Mondays and Tuesdays when patron traffic tends to be lower. Take advantage of these!

5. Look for coupons.
It's rare now to get paper restaurant coupons, but occasionally I've still spotted them in the mail! Also, check out their Facebook page, local community flyer, or even the ValPak mailer.

6. Buy gift cards during promotions.
Often around various holidays, many restaurants will offer gift card promotions – like spend $50 in gift cards, get a free $10 bonus card. Also, some grocery stores will have coupons or bonus points when you purchase select gift cards (Kroger occasionally offers 4X fuel points on gift cards).

7. Watch for Groupon specials.
If you're wanting to try a new place, look on Groupon for special promotions. You can usually save on tons of local restaurants in your area.

8. Split meals! 
This will vary depending on where you are going as some dine in restaurants will prohibit it – but sometimes you can order a larger meal and then split between 2 people – saving a few dollars per person. You may also be able to order a kids meal at select locations – just ask!

9. Order water.
Have you seen the cost of soda and tea recently at restaurants? Most places charge $3 or more – if you have a family of five, that's $15 just for drinks. Go out once a month = $60. After a year that's $720 on drinks alone!

When we really watched our dining out expenses during this crazy time period, we managed to save $75 in just two weeks by planning our meals out in advance and always ordering water (which is hard some days, but saves nearly $10 – $15 per meal!).

I was pretty shocked when I saw just how much money we saved just by changing a few habits; which means maybe my hubby and I can enjoy a movie night out with our savings (or I'll just create a special movie night at home! 🙂 ).

And if you're looking for new menu plans to try at home – we have all KINDS of options now – all with a weekly grocery list to make planning easy too 🙂

What tips do you have for saving money when eating out at restaurants?  Leave your best tips below!