Eating out can be a wonderful experience- great food and wine as well as quality time spent with your loved ones.  The recession, which has spanned over the last few years, has changed our dining out habits.  Many of us are choosing to dine in as a cheaper alternative to going to our favourite restaurant, and with the popularity of the hit Channel 4 reality show Come Dine With Me, dining in is seen as the 'in' thing to do.  However, eating out is a brilliant way to relax- no cooking and no washing up, as well as there being a sense of occasion.  We'd like to revive people's views of eating out and to show that it can be cheaper than you think.  Here are a few tips on how to eat out for less, courtesy of moneysupermarket.com…

• Use money off vouchers.  The vouchers market has doubled year on year since the start of the recession, showing that people are much more likely to hunt for a bargain in recent times.  Restaurant vouchers come in all shapes and sizes; buy one get one frees, 2 for 1's or a percentage discount off the total bill.  These are just a few examples- many can offer a free bottle of wine/desert etc.  Before heading off out to your favourite restaurant check if the place you're eating at has a money-off voucher and print it off and take it with you.  Always check before you print it out that the voucher is valid on the date that you want to use it, and be sure to present the voucher to your waiter/waitress upon arrival.  Don't just think that only the major restaurant chains offer money-off vouchers either- smaller independent restaurants also use discount vouchers to keep the customers coming through the door.


• Eat early.  This can be easier said that done, especially if you have work commitments, but if you head out for dinner a few hours earlier you're likely to bag yourself an 'early bird' discount.  Restaurants can get fairly empty in between busy lunch and dinner times; so many owners will create offers to pull you in between 4-7pm.  Many will offer special set menus or 2 for 1 during these hours, so it could definitely save you a bit of money to eat a little earlier.  


• Sign up to a loyalty scheme.  Many restaurants now operate a loyalty scheme, where regular diners will receive a free meal/or discounted meal if they visit the restaurant a certain number of times.  This can pay off, especially if you're a fan of a certain restaurant.  This can be applicable in coffee/sandwich shops as well, which can mean a free coffee or lunch after you've bought so many.  This can seem counter productive, as you have to purchase a certain amount to make a saving, but if you're likely to visit an eatery or a coffee shop regularly anyway it is definitely worth asking whether they have a loyalty scheme you can join.


• If you have a favourite restaurant sign up to their online newsletter.  If you join their online members club they're likely to send you their latest offers via email.  They may even send exclusive offers which only members can use.  This is a great way to obtain discounts as well as keeping up to date with their latest menu changes and news.


• Download an app. There are thousands of apps available for the iPhone and Android phones which will give you all the latest offers which you can have access to 24/7.  Many apps will give you full access to the voucher, meaning you can simply show the voucher to the restaurant staff from your phone instead of printing a voucher. Moneysupermarket has just launched a great vouchers iPhone app which features several restaurant vouchers.  Apps are also a great way to find restaurants too, especially if you are in an unfamiliar city.  Free apps like Yelp, which features augmented reality will show you where all the local restaurants are, directions of how to get to it, and will also give you the chance to read reviews of the restaurant.

A restaurants vouchers guide, written by Rachael Miller of the Vouchers team at moneysupermarket.com