Find the Best Restaurant Coupons for Eating Out
Money Tips for Dining Out on a Budget, Almost Everywhere
Nov 2, 2009
Restaurant coupons offer the opportunity to try a new eatery or return to an accustomed place. Coupons help locate a restaurant in a new area or while away on business or vacation. It may be a special dish, or a time of day or day of week when the offer is valid.
Online Searches for “Restaurant Coupons”
The Internet is a great starting point for inexpensive dining. Some search ideas are suggested below.
- Search by restaurant name. For example “Olive Gardens Coupons,” “Dunkin Donuts Coupons.”
- Search in a locale for restaurant coupons. ActiveDinner.com with the country, state, city. Look on Facebook or Twitter for a thread of restaurant coupons or perhaps the ads themselves.
- Restaurant.com has varying amounts of gift certificates offering $25 certificate for $10. There is also a dinner of the month club on the site.
- Coupon sites, although generalized, have restaurant deals are scattered throughout or organized into a section. Typically, a product is free with purchase of the same or a drink.
- Restaurant coupon bloggers such as blogcatalog.com or coupondad.net.
Other Ways to Eat Out on a Budget
In addition to using the internet, leaving business cards in bowls at the cashier's register, or simply asking if there are discounts, the following is suggested:
- Join the restaurant birthday club or drawings. A restaurant may send a free dinner certificate for the birthday month. Be sure to have the correct month since some restaurants will ask to see a driver license while others simply send off the certificate in the mail.
- Check the mail. Coupon books are still sent via post. Valpak and Clipper, the Flyer and Penny Saver will sometimes have coupons
- Newspapers usually have advertisements and coupons to clip during the week but especially weekend sections.
- Book Store memberships- Barnes and Nobles and Borders Books now expanded their book cards to include occasional deals not only in stores but also in restaurants. Membership is usually free for the card.
- Credit card bills may include certificates for percent off in certain dining establishments.
- New restaurants may have discounted gift cards especially around the holidays to draw new customers. A $10 gift card may offer $25 dining. Ask the owner if it isn’t advertised. Independent restaurants want to establish themselves in the community and may be happy to comply.
- The Entertainment Book is often linked to a charity such as the Leukemia Foundation. At times, it has an extra $25 dining certificate with purchase. Select the city or country of interest. The books sell from $15 to $40 and have restaurant sections offering either 2 for 1 or a percentage off.
- Often the country of choice has further discounts. Canadian links such as ottawa.menupalace.com can be changed to anotehr area. Put "Vancouver" in place of "Ottawa,, for example. Try restaurantdealsvouchers.co.uk and open it to further locations.
Tips for Successful Restaurant Coupon Use
Be sure and check expiration dates before printing out any coupons to use. Some places may have closed and the coupon offer was a last attempt to attract customers, so call first. Read the fine print to see if its a local only offer or for specific days and times of the week only.
Always remember to tip wait staff according to total cost of a regualr meal, regardless of coupon use. Saving money doesnt mean shorting the server. People are looking for ways to save money and restaurants are looking for ways to survive. Eating out shouldn’t mean dipping into savings. Everyone benefits with discounted dining.
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