How to Eat at a Nice Restaurant for about Half-price Anytime

That sounds pretty good, does it not? Let’s go eat at our favorite expensive restaurant for half-price. Who wouldn’t want to do that? Okay, there is a catch. You cannot do this at every restaurant. And, frankly, after a certain price point you won’t be able to do it at all.

But here’s one simple trick that has saved me and my family a LOT of money at some of our favorite eateries like McCormick and Schmick, Cheesecake Factory, and more. Are you ready for it?

Eat at the Bar During Happy Hour

Yup, that’s the secret. A lot of these mid-tier restaurants have happy hour menus. Now, you won’t be able to buy everything you can get off the regular menu and portion sizes may be smaller, but there are other advantages besides the lower prices.

For example, you can often walk into a restaurant like Longhorn or Outback Steak House and just seat yourself in the bar. If there is an open seat or booth in the bar area there is no waiting in line. Of course, a lot of people now know about this trick so it is becoming more challenging to grab an open table or booth in the bar area, but you can still save time.

And some people only sit down in the bar area while they way on a regular table or booth. That’s right, they could be eating great food at a lower price but they miss the opportunity.

And here’s another trick:

Many Bistros Offer Special Pricing for Day-themed Foods

You may have to wait until Tuesday to eat Chicken Tortilla soup at your favorite bistro but the soup may be less expensive on that day. Check out the menu’s day-themed specials the next time you’re getting ready to order a regular meal. You may find you can save $3-5 from the regular price.

Although your selection is limited, if you eat out often you can plot a little calendar around who offers which kind of special on every day.

You Can Give Yourself Discounts, Too

Sometimes a restaurant offers a special discount if you buy their gift cards. For example, they may give you a $5 card if you buy a $25 gift card, or they may give you a $10 card if you buy a $50 gift card. What is great about these deals is that you can use them for yourself (but you cannot put tips on these cards).

If you shop at BJs, Costco, or Sam’s you may be able to buy discounted gift cards for your favorite local restaurants. These deals may save you as much as 20% to 30%. So imagine buying $100 in gift cards for $80 and then using the cards to pay for happy hour meals. That is what I call frugal living, my friends.