4 tips for eating out on a budget

When you’re a self-avowed foodie, eating out may be a regular part of your routine. According to a 2023 US Foods^® study, the typical American dines at a restaurant three times a week and opts for takeout or delivery four and a half times per week, on average. In actual dollars, US Foods also found that each person spends a monthly average of $166 dining out.

Between the latest fine dining restaurants, trendy pop-up spots, and upscale gourmet food trucks, there’s always something new to try. The downside? Frequenting your local restaurant scene can take a big bite out of your wallet.

If you’re a frugal foodie, you can still indulge your appetite for high-end dining. Here’s how to eat out on a budget without sacrificing your love of great food:

1. Get the timing right

When you head out for a meal is just as important as where you go when you’re trying to find ways to save money eating out at restaurants. Author Marilyn Anderson says happy hour is one of the best times to visit fancy restaurants if you’re trying to eat out on a budget.

Anderson says that dinner at some high-end chain steak houses can easily run from $150 to $200 for two people. Visiting at happy hour can bring the tab down to $20 or $30. “You still get the ambiance and good food but it costs so much less,” Anderson says. The only trade-off is that your menu options may be limited to lower-priced items.

Some restaurants make happy hour more enticing by including expanded menu choices. For example, Anderson says a restaurant she frequently visits offers half off most menu items daily from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. It’s worth checking around your local area to see which restaurants feature similar deals so you can eat out on a budget. If you have a hard time leaving the office in time for a traditional happy hour, all is not lost. Happy hour can run later at some restaurants, with specials starting at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.

Michelle Stansbury, editor of a blog showcasing the best restaurants, bars, and culinary events for San Diego foodies, recommends scoping out special events, like restaurant weeks. Such events are an opportunity for restaurants to highlight their fine dining fare at a discount.

At New York City’s Restaurant Week, for instance, participating restaurants offer three-course fixed-price menus for lunch and dinner at discounts ranging from 20% to more than 50% off the regular price. That can mean significant savings for frugal foodies who are looking for ways to save money eating out at restaurants.

2. Dine with other frugal foodies

One of the simplest tips for eating out on the cheap is banding together with other food lovers. Maya Krampf, founder of a recipe website, says sharing is a great idea if your foodie friends are also frugally inclined.

“Sharing allows you to try more things and still keep cost in mind,” she says.

One of the ways to save money eating out at restaurants for parties of two, for example, is to share an appetizer and one entree. Krampf says this “is cheaper than getting two entrees and is usually still enough food.”

Stansbury says that eating with friends who are in the same financial situation as you can be a stress reliever when you want to eat out on a budget and not worry about how to keep up with friends with money.

“Dining with other frugal foodies means that you’ll be on the same page about ordering with price in mind,” she says, “taking away the sticker shock of a bill that’s more than what you expected.”

If you’re eating out with friends who have pricier tastes, Stansbury says to be upfront about what you want—and can afford—to spend. Ordering separately, if necessary, is one of the key tips for eating out on the cheap.

3. Go online for savings

One of the easiest ways to save money dining out on a budget is to look for coupons or discounts online. To find discounts in your area, Anderson recommends checking out sites that partner with local restaurants to offer deals.

In addition to featuring local restaurant specials, these sites may run sales or offer additional savings for email subscribers. For example, you might receive an email that includes extra savings of 20% or $30 off restaurant promotions. She also suggests sites that sell discounted gift certificates to restaurants.

Even if how to eat out on a budget is top-of-mind, be selective about how often you look for deals. Krampf recommends only searching for coupons or promotions after you’ve decided that you’re going out.

“Constantly looking at deal emails will just tempt you to go out and spend money when you weren’t planning on it,” she says.

4. Get rewarded for dining out

To round out the list of tips for eating out on a budget, consider how you pay for your meals. Picking up the tab with a cashback rewards debit card tied to a rewards checking account can put cash back in your pocket. Think of it as a discount on dinner. If you’re using a cashback rewards card and another discount, that amplifies the savings.

If you’re going out to dinner with a group, Anderson has a savvy tip for increasing your cashback earnings. “Let them give you cash and pay for the entire meal with your debit card,” she says. “You’ll get cash back for everyone’s dinner, not just yours.”

Just remember that if you’re looking for tips for eating out on the cheap and go the cashback rewards route with a credit card, consider charging only what you can afford to pay in full each month. Otherwise, anything you saved on dinner might be nibbled away by interest charges.

If you don’t have a cashback rewards card, Stansbury suggests looking for apps that give cash back at many restaurants. You link your debit or credit card to the app, dine at partner restaurants, and earn cash back automatically. She also suggests looking into programs that provide exclusive discounts at top-rated restaurants.

Be open to new possibilities for eating out on a budget

If you’re hankering for filet mignon but have a cheeseburger budget, don’t be afraid to broaden your dining horizons.

“Remember that the best restaurants are not necessarily the most expensive ones,” Stansbury says. “You can have incredible (and incredibly cheap) meals at mom and pop or hole-in-the-wall restaurants.”

Casting the net a little wider could satisfy your appetite without straining your budget.

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