As a very busy stay-at-home mom of five, one of the things I love to here my husband say, isthat we can go out to eat.It's not just the break from cooking and serving the meals that I love, it's not having to clean it all up! Many people have asked me, over the past couple of years, how we can afford it. There are a few things we have learned that I would like to share.
E Clubs
E clubs are a great way to get coupons. Almost every restaurant has one, even fast food places.Look up the restaurant online.They will ask for your name,email address andbirthday and sometimes your anniversary and send coupons that you print. Some send a coupon just for joining.McDonalds and Golden Corral are great. You can put in your kids birthdays and get a freekids mealson their birthdays. Red Lobster is another great one. After you join, if you take a quick survey you get a free appetizer or dessert coupon. Many places even send out a buy one get one free meal for your birthday. I always check for e clubs before I try a new place.
Your Child's School
Now this might sound crazy, but most schools have reading clubs or other ways to earn prizes like free kids meals. I know atour elementary school we have the PAKRATS reading and Bod Squad exercise programs. Most kids read 20 minseach day and get some form of exercise each day (yes, running all over the house and jumping on furniture counts) so join in! We have received free kids meals from Chili's, Mimi's Cafe, Fazolis, and free burgers from Carl's Jrand lotsmore, in the past few months.
Also ,buying discount cards from the middle schools and Entertainment books will save youa lotof money!
Coupons
Easy tip, check your "junk mail" that comes, the Sunday paper coupons and the Food section in the Gazette on Wednesdays. There are many good coupons to be found that way.
Also, places like Panda Express have surveys with coupons on their receipts.
Knowing When& Where To Go
Many restaurants have Kids Nights. I love these nights! If your kidsget a bit loud, or your baby is fussy, there are so many other parents there who understand and won't give you any dirty looks.
The deal is, for each adult meal purchased, you get a free or discounted kids meal. With these places, because we have five kids,we bring along another adult, or couple, with no children or just one child,and put one of our kids on their ticket. At some places, the wait staff will even suggest this just to help you out.
Denny's and Captain D's have two kids nights a week, and we like them because it's
two free kids per adult meal purchased. You can't beat that! Denny's, on Flintridge and Academy,have such anice staff andDenny's hasquite a few choices for the kids on the menu.Captain D's will even replace the fries with another side for the kids, and they have quite a lot of sides. My kidslike mac 'n cheese and corn on the cob. They also have broiled seafood and sandwiches if you are trying to avoid fried food yourselfand you can alwayschoose your sides as well. Texas Land and Cattle Steakhouse also have
two free kids per adult Saturday's 11:00am-4:00pm.
Here is my most recent list of kids nights in Colorado Springs...
Monday - Texas Roadhouse (North Powers)
Monday - Red Top
Monday - Gunther Toody's (free meal and ice cream)
Tuesday - Bennigan's
Tuesday - Ruby's Diner
Tuesday - 3 Margaritas
Tuesday - Golden Corral (age 3 and under free age 4-9 1.99 age 10-12 2.99)
Tuesday - Perkins
Tuesday - Black Eyed Pea
Tuesday/Saturday4 - 10 p.m. - Denny's
Tuesday 5 - 8 p.m. - Fazolis (99 cent kids meals)
Tuesday/Sunday - Red Hot & Blue BBQ (99 cent kids meals)
Wednesday - Applebees (99 cent kids meal after 4pm trivia and prizes for the kids)
Wednesday - La Casita Patio Cafe
Thursday/Sunday -Captain D's
Saturday - Texas Land and Cattle Steakhouse (11:00am-4:00pm two kids eat free per one adult)
Sunday - Souper Salad (4 and under free 5 and up 1.99)
If I left anyplace out please contact Your Hub
Try Lunch and Save Money or Split a Dinner with Your Spouse
Ifwe like a restaurant but they don't have a kids night, sometimes we have a big weekday lunch. The pricesare lower. The Ultimate Buffet has great lunch prices (and we thinksome of the best food in the world) but we can't afford to take the whole family for dinner due to the high prices for the older kids. I wish they had a kids night, we would be there each week. We all love the food and the sushi, so we go for lunch when we can.
Places like the Outback Steakhouse do not have kids nights or coupons, so my husband and I split a dinner and order an extra potato or salad. That works out nice.
It's so important to get out and just enjoy agood meal together. With these tips even a family with many children can dine out without spending a fortune. So,bon appetit!