Six ways to save money on dining out
With over a third of Brits cutting back on restaurant visits due to high costs, the BBC outlines six strategies for cheaper meals, including loyalty
More than a third of Britons are cutting back on restaurant visits due to high costs, according to YouGov's latest Dining Out report. Restaurateurs say rising expenses for food, energy, wages, and taxes have forced them to increase prices.
Many eateries now offer incentives to attract customers. Here are six ways to save money on meals out.
Loyalty programmes and points
Many restaurants use points, freebies, and discounts to encourage repeat business. Pizza Express Club members can progress through bronze, silver, and gold tiers, unlocking perks like free dough balls and complimentary drinks. Nando's employs a chilli-based loyalty system. Other schemes, such as Tastecard, provide discounts at hundreds of venues for an annual fee.
Supermarket loyalty points can also be used for dining. Tesco Clubcard points can be exchanged for vouchers; each 50p earned in points converts to £1.50 to spend at participating Prezzo Italian restaurants.
Dining at off-peak times
Booking outside peak lunch and dinner hours can lead to cheaper bills. Apps facilitate this. First Table, operating in 21 UK cities as well as Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, offers diners 50% off food for booking a restaurant's first or last slot, in exchange for a small booking fee. EatClub provides walk-ins with up to 50% off the entire bill at thousands of venues when redeeming an offer via its app, with the biggest discounts during off-peak times.
Shokofeh Hejazi, director of foresight and innovation at trends agency The Food People, says earlier dining appeals because it is quieter, people drink less, and they can get home sooner. She adds that meeting for breakfast is often more wallet-friendly as it is usually one course.
Family and trial offers
During school holidays, many establishments offer free or £1 meals for children dining with paying adults. Chains like TGI Fridays, supermarket cafes including those at Morrisons and Asda, and garden centres like Dobbies provide such deals. Some offers are tied to holidays, while others run year-round.
New restaurants often offer discounts during "soft launch" periods to generate buzz. These can last several weeks, providing a cost-effective way to try higher-end venues. Hejazi notes some restaurants are extending these trial periods or making soft-launch pricing permanent for quieter days like Mondays. "There's access points for everybody in a lot of these places," she says.
Using surplus food apps
Surplus food apps offer a final option for savings. Apps like Too Good To Go and Olio allow customers to purchase food that would otherwise go to waste at a fraction of the usual price. The selection is often a surprise, but savings can be significant, leaving more cash for future dining out plans.
