As our 5-week series comes to a close, I hope you have either learned or been reminded of some options to lower your out-of-pocket expenses while enjoying a meal at a restaurant. Thus far, we have considered options 1-8 in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. In this fifth and final week, we will look at the children’s menu and reward programs.

OPTION 9:     Check the price of the children’s menu.

When you have more than one child eating from the kid’s menu, you might want to consider the cost. In some cases, we have found purchasing an adult entrée to split between our two oldest children (ages 3 and 6) is more cost-efficient than purchasing two kid’s menu items. If our children drink water, then we don’t need to consider that the drink may be included in the kid’s menu item.

As our third child begins to eat more, splitting an adult entrée between the three of them may be more cost-effective than purchasing 3 separate kids’ meals. Another option is to check the limits on coupons. In the fine print, the coupon should state limit 1 per customer or limit 2 per table. If the limit is 2 and the coupon is a buy one entrée, get one free, then purchasing 2 entrees to get 4 meals would be our best option. Any extra food will be eaten on leftover night. Our decision when ordering will depend on specials, coupons, and total cost.

OPTION 10:    Sign-up for reward programs.

In an effort to encourage loyalty to their restaurant, some establishments offer a reward program. Here are two programs of which I am aware:

1. Subway: Not all Subway restaurants participate in the Rewards program. For those that do, here is how the program works.

• Earn 1 point for each dollar you spend.
• Request a Reward card at your Subway.
• Redeemyour points for the following menu items:
  • 10 Points = 1 Cookie
  • 15 Points = Bag of chips
  • 20 Points = 21 oz. drink
  • 30 Points = Deli sandwich
  • 50 Points = Regular 6-inch sub
  • 60 Points = Regular wrap
  • 75 Points = Regular foot-long sub

Photograph Credit: P. F. Chang's

2. P.F. Chang’s:  When you sign up for the Warrior Card and present it at the time of your visit, you will receive a 10% discount on your bill. This discount cannot be combined with any other offer. If you have a coupon, then consider which option will save you the most on the menu choices chosen.

As we conclude this series of 10 ways to cut the expense of eating out, I hope you have some options available to you to ease the burden of feeding your family when you are short on time. Remember that you can combine these 10 options to maximize your savings. Do you have other suggestions? If so, please leave a comment sharing your ideas.