Things You'll Need:
- Wine Appetizers Cash
-
Step 1
Search for coupons for any restaurant you'd like to try. This may mean looking through the local paper or doing a search on sites such as Valpak or Coupon Cabin, among others. Rarely, a restaurant's own website will feature a coupon to draw in potential new customers. If you can find a coupon, you'll knock money right off the top of your bill.
-
Step 2
Buy a certificate for your meal from Restaurant.com. This site offers actual gift certificates at a steep discount off the retail price.
-
Step 3
Start your evening at home. Have your first glass of wine with your dining partner before going to the restaurant (but make sure you still have a designated driver!). Enjoy a homemade salad instead of eating one with a 100 percent markup. You can even make tasty appetizers at home to save even more money.
-
Step 4
Call ahead for reservations. If you sit too long in the lobby, you're apt to venture to the bar for a cocktail or overindulge in food because you get too hungry.
-
Step 5
Sign up for any frequent diner card they have when at the restaurant. It can mean big savings over time.
-
Step 6
Eat whatever bread or appetizers they offer as complimentary. Though it may make you eat less of your meal, that only means one thing in this case: leftovers.
-
Step 7
Order soft drinks only if they have free refills, and if you are indulging in a cocktail, limit yourself to one. You'll not only be safer, you'll appreciate each taste.
-
Step 8
Skip dessert and go out for ice cream or a similar snack. Dessert is often overpriced at sit-down establishments, but quite reasonable elsewhere.
