Is there a limit to taking advantage of offers when eating out?

Things change I've changed

Things change I've changed

Things change I've changed

Soldato
Joined
27 Jul 2005
Posts
13,357
Location
The Orion Spur
I really do try to eat out as cheaply as possible, I will use locals card if accepted, taste card trails, two for one offers etc, I'm just wondering to do you think it's wrong to take advantage of these offers all the time?

Last night for example I went into a restaurant that said "lunchtime deal (12-5pm) £7.95 for a starter and a main", me and the GF sat down at 4.30pm and they tried to push the evening menu on use at £11.95 for starter and a main, when I brought this to the waitresses attention she seemed quite disgruntled and reluctantly brought us the lunchtime menu and said "you better order quickly if you want that offer", with me looking at my watch...

It probably doesn't help that I and my GF tend to just drink water out either as I find the drinks prices in most places to be extortionate, although I know that's were they make up a good bit of their profits.

Anyway, just recently I've started to think maybe I'm taking the pee a little, would you feel comfortable regularly eating out in the same restaurant on a two for one day never paying full price?
 
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It's probably against the 'spirit' of the offer, but I don't think it's wrong.

A small restaurant might struggle to stomach the cost but a bigger chain shouldn't have any issues.
 
My wife - like you - can be quite tight with money. I on the other hand won't even consider using vouchers if I can help it - I'm pretty well paid and can afford to eat out at nice restaurants.
We don't get to do this often because of the kids, but when we do I like to splash out. Using vouchers would make me feel cheap.
 
Moley said:
My wife - like you - can be quite tight with money. I on the other hand won't even consider using vouchers if I can help it - I'm pretty well paid and can afford to eat out at nice restaurants. We don't get to do this often because of the kids, but when we do I like to splash out. Using vouchers would make me feel cheap.
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It's odd, some people no matter how much they earn go the other way and like to save money where they can.

Me and the wife have very good jobs and very nice things, but we still get more excited about a bargain rather than a 'we splashed out on x or y'. I completely understand the occasional as you say, when it's a rare chance you want to make it special I guess.

Neither is right or wrong, but it is interesting.
 
As someone with little disposable income compared to many, these pub-chain weekly offers often make the difference between eating out at a pub, or not. Cashback I get through my bank account is a Brucey Bonus.
 
I don't think you're taking the pee at all. If you went back more than once each day then maybe, but as it is, it shouldn't make any difference to them. You could well be someone completely different who still takes the offer.
 
If the price is £7.95 before 5pm then that's the price you should be paying. I don't get how this is even a question.
 
Its their offer, don't feel guilty about taking them up on it. If it were a problem for them they wouldn't run it.
 
Neither me or the missus earn mega bucks and we are trying to save for a deposit so money is the tightest its ever been. I was given a years free AA membership, this entitles me to 20% off food at quite a lot of places (even the el cheapo Harvester) I have no problem using it :)

If money was not a problem I wouldn't bother. I'm not one of these who wants to save every last penny if I don't have to.
 
I'd have no problem. The offers are there and available. If they don't want people taking advantage of the offers then apply clear terms or just remove them!
 
lowrider007 said:
Last night for example I went into a restaurant that said "lunchtime deal (12-5pm) £7.95 for a starter and a main", me and the GF sat down at 4.30pm and they tried to push the evening menu on use at £11.95 for starter and a main, when I brought this to the waitresses attention she seemed quite disgruntled and reluctantly brought us the lunchtime menu and said "you better order quickly if you want that offer", with me looking at my watch...
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Every, and I mean every place I've eaten at it's the time you are seated that triggers the "deal window" or not. If I sat down at 16:30 but someone didn't take my order until 17:15, I'd still expect to be served from the lunchtime menu, and to be fair, that's always happened.

if it ever didn't happen that way, I'd stand up and leave.

Moley said:
My wife - like you - can be quite tight with money. I on the other hand won't even consider using vouchers if I can help it - I'm pretty well paid and can afford to eat out at nice restaurants.
We don't get to do this often because of the kids, but when we do I like to splash out. Using vouchers would make me feel cheap.
Click to expand...

Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves ;)
 
I save on everything I can! Why should I pay more that the lowest price in a free market if I am willing to do the research and leg work? I avoid impulse buying as much as I can and add things to a list that I can keep an eye on for any deals or a price point I am happy with.

Any time I book/buy anything; meals, holidays, mot/service, days out, etc I always have a quick google for vouchers. To me it seems very silly not to. We make decent money but if I can make that money go further for everyone to enjoy then I feel I would be failing my family if I didn't.
 
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