My Two Recent Restaurant Savings Wins

As I discussed more than a couple of times here one Money@30, my wife and I enjoy a weekly tradition we call “Together Tuesday.” Typically, this date night includes treating ourselves to dinner out.  Mind you, we’re not talking fancy, five-star outings — it’s mostly just chain restaurants that some may loathe but I have a soft spot for. In fact, one of the things I love about some of these places are the great deals you can score if you play your cards right. Over the past couple of weeks, it seems lady luck was definitely on my side as I managed to rack up two big savings wins.

First stop: Chili’s. I’ve always been a fan of their 2 for $22 special that includes an appetizer to share and two entrees for, you guessed it, $22. However, I was surprised to see that, as of this visit, the deal was now 2 for $25. Initially, I presumed this was just inflation but, as it turns out, the deal now includes an appetizer to share, two entrees, and a dessert to split as well. Now, in reality, this isn’t really saving us money; just making us eat more. Still, I kind of like the new set-up.

Where the actual money came in was via Chili’s loyalty program and a special offer being promoted on their “Ziosks.” First, after the demise of Plenti, Chili’s introduced their own loyalty program that entitles members to either free chips and salsa or a free soft drink on each of their visits (note: you need to visit at least once every 90 days to retain this benefit). Since an app came with our meal, I opted for the free Coke instead. Meanwhile, my wife splurged and went for the Presidente Margarita that was only a $5 add-on to our meal deal.

But wait — that margarita ended up being free thanks to a special offer we encountered when paying our bill. On the Ziosk, we learned that, if we used our Discover card via a digital wallet such as Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, we’d receive $5 off of our bill. Being Discover It cardholders and iPhone users, we gave it a shot and, sure enough, our receipt showed a $5 discount. Sadly, it seems this particular promotion has now ended, but it’s definitely something to watch out for in the future.

It seemed my savings didn’t end on that night as, earlier this week, I had another triumph at one of  my personal favorites, Red Robin. Conveniently, it just so happened to be another Tavern Double Tuesday for the chain’s loyalty club members, meaning that my meal of choice (a thin-patty double cheeseburger and bottomless fries for $6.99) was free with the purchase of another entree and two drinks. On top of that $7 savings, an e-mail from Royalty Rewards let me know that I could save $4 off a purchase of $10 or more. I figured there was no way I’d be able to combine these two offers but, to my surprise, our server activated both of them without me even having to ask! As a result, we saved $11 on a $28 bill —not bad at all.

The moral of the story is that there are many ways you can save a little money when dining out. Although some of these specific offers might not be around for long, similar deals are popping up all the time (hint: signing up for free loyalty programs will help ensure you stay informed on special offers). Hopefully I’ll have some more savings wins to share in subsequent weeks as our Together Tuesday tradition rolls on.

Author

Kyle Burbank

Founder ~ Moneyat30
Kyle is a freelance writer - including being the head writer for Fioney.com. He also serves as editorial director for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com. In 2015, Kyle and his wife Bekah moved from Los Angeles to Springfield MO in pursuit of greater financial freedom. Together, the pair enjoy travel, coffee, and spending time with their dog Rigby. Additionally, as of 2023, they become first-time homeowners.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

collage of coins and dollar bills

Check Your Email - You May Have Money From Equifax (Again)

In what feels like a lifetime ago at this point (2017), one of the three major credit bureaus in the United States, Equifax, experienced a massive data breach that impacted millions of consumers. A couple of years later, a class action lawsuit resulted in compensation payouts for thsoe that claimed...
lineup of 5 different Go Brewing beers

Go Brewing Non-Alcoholic Beer Subscription Review: The Pros and Cons

A few months ago, while visiting my wife's family in Ohio, I came across Go Brewing in the non-alcoholic beer section of a local grocery store. Upon trying their Not Just Another Story Double IPA (Now known as simply "The Story Double IPA"), I was blown away. When I got...
illustration of how to donate travel rewards to charities

Travel Tuesday: Donating Your Travel Currency on Giving Tuesday

Lest you think we're done with the retail holidays, today marks another — albeit quite different — one: Giving Tuesday. For those unaware, this is the day that emphasizes charitable donations over retail purchases. Actually, in addition to Giving Tuesday, today has also become known as Travel Tuesday (no relation...

Leave a Reply

The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get Posts in Your Inbox
Featured Articles
collage of coins and dollar bills

Check Your Email - You May Have Money From Equifax (Again)

In what feels like a lifetime ago at this point (2017), one of the three major credit bureaus in the United States, Equifax, experienced a massive data breach that impacted millions of consumers. A couple of years later, a class action lawsuit resulted in compensation payouts for thsoe that claimed...
lineup of 5 different Go Brewing beers

Go Brewing Non-Alcoholic Beer Subscription Review: The Pros and Cons

A few months ago, while visiting my wife's family in Ohio, I came across Go Brewing in the non-alcoholic beer section of a local grocery store. Upon trying their Not Just Another Story Double IPA (Now known as simply "The Story Double IPA"), I was blown away. When I got...
illustration of how to donate travel rewards to charities

Travel Tuesday: Donating Your Travel Currency on Giving Tuesday

Lest you think we're done with the retail holidays, today marks another — albeit quite different — one: Giving Tuesday. For those unaware, this is the day that emphasizes charitable donations over retail purchases. Actually, in addition to Giving Tuesday, today has also become known as Travel Tuesday (no relation...
collage of Black Friday deals

Black Friday Deals 2024: Offers on Products I’ve Reviewed

Last week, I looked at some of the Black Friday sales that were already underway for various products I've reviewed over the years. Well, while several of those deals are still in place, others have joined the party. So, with that, here are some of the discounts, special offers, and...