How cheapskates do dinner

Discount expert Stephanie Nelson, aka Coupon Mom, says that several airlines allow you to trade in your miles for restaurant gift certificates.

"With one trip you might be able to earn enough miles for a free dinner," Nelson says.

Gift certificates

Restaurant.com typically sells $25 gift certificates to restaurants for $10, but often Nelson, who runs CouponMom.com, and other discount Web site operators offer 50%-off or 60%-off coupons, making these certificates as cheap as $4. However, you can use only one of them at a time, and there are restrictions on nights and minimum purchases at certain restaurants.

Still, they're a good deal, if you can find a restaurant you like.

On a recent vacation to Las Vegas, Henley and her husband ate out at several restaurants with discounted gift certificates purchased from Restaurant.com. One meal for her and her husband at an upscale Mexican restaurant wound up costing only $14 after she used the $25 gift certificate that was purchased for $5 with a coupon code.

"The food was awesome. It was a real treat," she says, "with the best service we've had in Las Vegas."

Henley says her older daughter used to want to hide under the table when she pulled out coupons like these, or other discounts. But now that she's 18 and paying for more things herself, Henley says, she wants to use these savings, too.

Eat and get paid

One thing Henley's daughters help her out with is "mystery shopping," or signing up with outside companies to evaluate the service, food and even bathrooms at chain restaurants. While many companies try to make money off people by claiming you need to pay for certification or training, Henley, who has registered with 50 companies, says it shouldn't cost you a dime.

At first, she says, she was mostly given fast-food assignments, where she got a free meal and a few bucks for a written report on the experience. These days, however, after several years and assignments from dozens of firms, she now has her pick of the gigs.

"I'm very picky now. I only go to places like Ruth's Chris Steak House and Fleming's (Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar)."

Typically reviewers get offered a chance to visit chains only once every six months, she says, so it's best to register with many companies if you are serious about getting some free meals.

Book ahead

For diners who typically shun chain restaurants in favor of fashionable, white-tablecloth fare, reservation services such as OpenTable.com or DinnerBroker are a good way to land a freebie.

Restaurants use these services to bring in new customers, rewarding them points for making reservations online. Those who don't mind eating a little early or late can score the biggest rewards, some as much as $10 per reservation.

Frequent diners should also check to see if their favorites have a Web site. In addition to menus, many restaurants post coupons, and some even have frequent dining clubs, which churn out coupons every couple of months to their members and sometimes offer rebates for each visit.

Clubs and coupon books

More than 30 chain restaurants, from ice cream parlors to fondue restaurants and upscale Italian places, offer a club or newsletter that feature price promotions, says Nelson.

Even a simple Internet search for your city or neighborhood and restaurant listings can turn up more discounts. The terms "restaurant," "Pasadena" and "coupon" yielded a Southern California dining promotions site, LocalDining.info, that gave links to restaurants and yielded quite a few two-for-one coupons.

Others swear by the Entertainment Book, the $25 to $45 (depending on area) catalog of coupons for dining, movies, travel, entertainment and local services. About a quarter of the way through the year, these books are sold for half price, making them an even better bargain if you want to pick one up for your favorite vacation spot or business destination. If you register your book online, you can get even more coupons to use throughout the year.

However, some of these discounts can be had without a purchase. Several companies have partnered with the Entertainment Book to provide discounts to their customers online. You just have to log on and print out the coupons. However, in my case, I was limited to four of these so-called premium discounts a month.

Economize when you sit down

For those who don't want to write reports, surf the Web, inspect bathrooms or choose restaurants based on who has the biggest discount, there are always ways to economize at the restaurant.

For starters, experts say, don't order high-dollar beverages, such as imported bottled water. Order a glass of ordinary tap water, with a wedge of lemon or lime. Some cheapskates I talked to even order three pieces of lemon and use a sugar packet from their table to make their own lemonade.

Experienced cheapskates say don't order dessert, unless it's something really distinctive. Your local ice cream parlor or bakery is a better bet price-wise, especially if you use coupons.

If you don't have a huge appetite, consider splitting a meal with a friend or your child, or ordering a couple of appetizers to share.

Sure, says Ward, this can get you a little eye-rolling from your server (or, in my case, a sigh and trip back to the manager), but if everyone gets to eat out and Mom doesn't have to do dishes, isn't it worth it?

7 best ways to save

Here are the best tips from the bargain-hunters:

• Find a coupon (on the Web, at a restaurant Web site, in a local newspaper or in a coupon book).

• Use a gift certificate. Some people have good luck finding discounted gift certificates on eBay, Craigslist and other auction sites. Check out the restaurants available on Restaurant.com.

• Look for kids-eat-free nights. Chain restaurants routinely offer these promotions.

• Join a loyalty club or rebate program. If you tend to eat at the same places over and over, ask each whether they have a frequent diners club or a newsletter with special offers.

• Economize at the restaurant. Order water. If you want wine with dinner, find a restaurant with no or minimal corkage fees. Skip restaurant desserts. For smaller appetites, split a salad or order a couple of appetizers for dinner.

• Mystery shop. Henley keeps a list of mystery shopping agencies on her Web site.

• Order take-out or delivery. If you don't mind the ambience of your own dinner table, most restaurants will allow you to take food home, which saves you the 15% to 20% you'd tip a server.

Updated Nov. 13, 2009

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