5 Tips Can Help You Save At Restaurants

Pamela Sosnowski, Contributing writer

For many people, there's nothing better than treating themselves to a meal out. Good food, with no cooking or clean up involved.

However, that sense of satisfaction can disappear once the bill arrives at the table.

Fortunately, there are several ways to have an enjoyable dining experience without breaking the bank. Before your next restaurant visit, check out these five tips that can help you save a little dough.

Master The Menu

It's the secret that the restaurant industry doesn't want you to know about: menus are carefully designed to subliminally entice diners into ordering the more expensive items. According to a blog post on the financial advice site WalletPop, restaurants "design their menus with up-selling in mind."

Be wary of meals listed in the upper right-hand corner of a menu page. Because a viewer's eye is naturally drawn to that area, restaurants often reserve their highest profit meals for that location. They'll also call out pricier meals in boxes meant to capture your attention.

Also, be on the alert for menus that don't list a dollar sign next to an item -- without a monetary value, it's easy to be tricked into thinking a dish isn't as expensive as it seems.

Seek Out Deals

The blog WickedCoolDeals recommends several ways to get deals at your favorite restaurants.

First, visit the restaurant's Web site to see if you can sign up to receive discounts.

"Registering with restaurants online can be a great way to save money," says the blog's author, Michelle Hovestadt. "When you sign up, the restaurant will often send you coupons and other promotional deals to save money on your next visit."

Another good option is to purchase dining certificates through Restaurant.com.

"You can typically purchase a $25 certificate for $10, or a $10 certificate for $3," says Hovestadt. "There are often promo codes you can use to get the certificates even cheaper -- often 50 percent, 60 percent, even 70 percent off the regular price. I recently had such fun using a $25 certificate I purchased for just $3."

Many chain restaurants also run coupons in the local paper or phone book. Some also conduct monthly drawings for free meals, so check with your favorite establishment to see if there are any contests that you can enter.

Ditch Drinks, Desserts

At most restaurants, consuming alcoholic beverages is one of the easiest ways to bump up your bill. For example, a pomegranate martini at Not Your Average Joe's costs $6.99. Multiply that by two, add a second round and you've added nearly $28 to your tab. The same goes for desserts, which range between $6 and $10 at most national restaurant chains.

Stick to water, which is always free -- though some restaurants charge for sparkling or specialty waters. If you must drink something else, vow to keep it to one beverage and ask for it to arrive with your meal so that it will last longer and discourage you from ordering a second serving, if you're eating somewhere that does not offer free refills.

Split dessert with your dining companion or choose a low-cost option such as a scoop of ice cream. Better yet, eat dessert at home.

Munch At Lunch

Dinner menus are usually the most expensive due to larger portion sizes and evenings usually being the busiest time of the day for eating establishments.

Lunch often offers the same menu items for a cheaper price, and many restaurants offer lunch specials that sometimes include unlimited salad or soup. Since restaurant meals have exploded in size over the years, you may also want to consider ordering an appetizer or two instead of an entree to stretch your dining dollars even further.

Can't finish your order? Don't be shy about asking for your leftovers to be wrapped. Most servers will ask you if you want to take home what's left on your plate. You'll benefit by getting two servings of a meal for the price of one.

Do Your Research

Consumer review sites such as Yelp and Boorah, as well as expert restaurant guides such as Fodor's and Zagat, can often give you great insight into a restaurant's food, pricing and service before you even visit the establishment. A little bit of planning can sometimes make the difference between a memorable dining experience and an unsatisfactory one.