A frugal guide to eating out
Posted
Nov 02 2007, 08:38 AM
by
Karen Datko
This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar.
Given that I’m a foodie and frugal at the same time, several readers have asked for tips on dining out. I collected some of my thoughts and present this guide to eating out in such a way that frugal sensibilities are balanced with a desire for exquisite food.
Eat out rarely, but do it right when you do. If I am going to be served food by someone else, I want it to be an experience I will remember. I generally find the food at sit-down fast-food restaurants like Chili’s and Applebee's (want to see what I mean?) to be an overpriced and preservative-laden version of what I can make at home.
Rather than eat out every other week at places like that, I save my nickels and dimes and dine every three months or so at an exquisite local restaurant. I have saved enough money, so prices aren’t an issue. My wife and I can share a bottle of wine if we choose to. The greater Des Moines area has several outstanding restaurants, and I’d rather drop $80 to $100 at one of those for a meal than $20 five times at lesser restaurants.
Why? That was my philosophy before having children, and it’s even stronger now. I eat out for the experience, and the experience of dining at a top-notch restaurant is something I remember. I don’t remember trips to IHOP.
Don’t worry about healthiness. If you eat out rarely, as I do, don’t worry about finding the healthiest item on the menu. The rare occasion of eating out should be savored, and I recommend choosing items that excite your palate above all.
The rare “blow my mind” meal is a great motivator for dieting. I plan a meal at an upscale restaurant a few months in advance and use thoughts of that meal as a motivator. “I’ll eat really healthy today, and as a reward soon I’ll have that tremendous meal. Bring on the salad.”
The company makes all the difference. I enjoy eating out in small groups, and the company should be suitably enjoyable.
Life is a series of experiences, and the great ones stick with us. If you don’t enjoy the company, don’t go for the gusto with the meal. Stay at home, or eat at a simpler place.
Order water. Most restaurants will give you water for free. Order it. Sip it between bites. I do this at home as well for two reasons: It increases your enjoyment of the flavors because the water cleanses your palate between bites, and it sates your appetite quicker, meaning you’re less likely to eat too much.
Know a little bit about wine so you can make your own choice if you order it. The staff often recommends a particular wine, which may happen to be whatever is in abundance in the back. Instead, decide what you’re going to order first, then select a wine to complement that food.
As a rule, the wine should match the color of the entree: red wine for beef, white wine for poultry and fish. Pork can go either way.
Leave a cash gratuity. If you don't leave a cash tip, the restaurant may scrape it into the profit coffers, and the hardworking waiter may get only part of it or nothing. One restaurant I am familiar with collects all tips and then gives a very small “Christmas bonus” to all of the employees.
The most important thing of all? Enjoy the experience.
Related reading:
Supercook: Finding recipes from the contents of your pantry
Sneaking candy into the theater: Frugal or cheap?
Take the 30-day frugal challenge
Is the value menu really a value? Comparing the homemade double cheeseburger to the McDonald’s $1 version
