Better value in restaurants
August 2009
Lots of service businesses are finding things tough in the downturn, and the restaurant trade in particular is in the firing line when consumers start to pare back on their discretionary expenditure.
Many savvy restaurants are responding to the new climate by tweaking their offerings to encourage diners, and consumers themselves are getting sharper about spotting a good deal when it's on offer. Follow these top tips to get better value when dining out.
Look for special deals
Good deals can include "early bird" specials - the same meal at a lower price earlier on in the night - mid-week dining deals, group discounts, "buy one get one free" and half price promotions. Remember to verify that any particular offer is available before you order - don't get caught out buying more than you bargained for.
Remember too that there is often a premium price for evening dining, in particular in restaurants at the higher end of the market.
If you have the flexibility to eat earlier in the day, look out for the special lunchtime menus offered by many establishments. Selecting these can mean you can enjoy the quality and skill of an expert kitchen at a fraction of the evening dining price.
Many restaurants promote their special offers in their window displays, or in local newspapers and freesheets. Check online for bargains too, at sites that have information on dining promotions such as:
Try new places
Restaurants which are a little more off the beaten path can often be a bit cheaper - their overheads such as rents might be lower, or they need to attract traffic with lower prices, and the food may even be better too.
If you do find a gem, spread the good news via word of mouth or by writing a review online. Research indicates that consumers are more likely to be influenced by peer reviews and recommendations than by more conventional advertising and let's face it, if we want a hint or a pointer to a good deal, there's nothing like getting it from someone who has just tried it out themselves.
Bring your own bottle?
The cost of drinks can often add a hefty figure to your overall bill and, frustratingly, any service charges calculated as a percentage of the bill amount will be worked out including the cost of drinks. So choosing a nice bottle to accompany your food can drive up not just the overall cost of the meal, but also adds a hefty amount to any service charge.
Some food outlets offer diners the opportunity to bring along their own alcoholic beverages. This can be because they don't have a licence to sell alcohol, or sometimes simply because they want to add this element of choice to their offering.
A "bring your own bottle" (BYOB) policy usually involves payment of a small fixed fee per bottle brought in - this is called the "corkage" fee.
If the restaurant you are considering visiting offers a BYOB service, ask what price the corkage fee is and decide whether it's worth bringing along your own bottle.
Think about sharing
Sharing can be central to the experience at some types of restaurants - think of tapas in a Spanish style restaurant, or the collective/shared dish eating tradition typical of Indian, Chinese or Thai cuisine.
Sharing can be an excellent way to taste many dishes without the expense and potential waste of over-ordering for your personal consumption. In a larger group, you could find yourself ordering one less dish than the head count, but still having enough great food for everybody. This can work particularly well in terms of orders of side dishes, where a reduced number of sides to share alongside the main courses is usually sufficient.
Order sensibly
There is no point in spending money on dishes that you have no room for, particularly if a restaurant is known for generous portion sizes.
Depending on the number in your party, consider whether everyone needs an individual starter, main course and dessert or whether some shared starters and sweets will suffice to satisfy everyone's hunger. And remember that many places offer "sharing platters", in particular for starters, with a little of everything for a group to nibble through.
Watch for the little extras
While many establishments are now offering good deals on food, costs can still mount up through the unconscious extras like bottled water, olives and bread baskets (sometimes billable, sometimes complimentary), even the customary post-meal coffee etc.
Obviously it's down to personal choice, but you can consider asking for tap instead of bottled water or eschewing the little billable extras that can work out adding an extra 10% or 15% to the total (and that will count towards calculating the service charge too).
Also, remember mark ups on wine can be considerable, so read the wine menu carefully and select with an eye on price as well as on your palate.
Check your bill
Honest mistakes can happen. Make sure that you have been charged for exactly what you ordered and received.
It's important to question anything you're uncertain about on the spot - this gives the trader a fair chance to correct any oversight or to give you a full explanation for any items you query.
Nothing leaves a worse aftertaste than stewing about an unresolved query, so grab the bull by the horns on the spot. You may be pleasantly surprised by how well the trader handles any query you have - remember, that's also part of good service.
Gratuities and discretionary service charges
This is a minefield! Some eating establishments add a mandatory "service charge" to your bill. This is typically in the region of 12.5%. If this charge is added, you may wish to enquire whether the proceeds from it are distributed directly to the staff or not.
If they are, then any additional line on your payment card slip could mean that you are paying twice for service. If they are not, then you might wish to consider whether to leave any gratuity you feel is appropriate in cash, which can be immediately added to the "tips" jar rather than adding it to any card payment.
Some "service charges" are stated to be "discretionary", but there is nothing discretionary about how they are added to your bill - they are added already when it comes to your table.
Strictly speaking, if the charge is stated to be discretionary, you are entitled to request that it be removed. While many diners might be reluctant to make an issue of this, you may wish to enquire whether the charge is distributed directly amongst the waiting staff.
Know when to splash out
There is a huge difference between "grabbing a bite to eat" and having a blow-out culinary extravaganza.
There are some things that simply cannot be done well on a tight budget, and that can include an unforgettable meal.
So while it may give you a "feel good" factor to have a night out on a budget, those savings can then go towards a more special meal when you can splash out on an experience that will be memorable for a long time to come.
Learn more
Read our ConsumerValue tips about getting better value when socialising
Find out how restaurants, hotels and other eating establishments have to display their prices under consumer law