I have a little obsession with online restaurant coupons.
You know…Groupon and Living Social.
I really like to purchase them. They’re such a steal! And you know how I feel about good deals. Even when I don’t necessarily need the item offered that particular day, I have a hard time saying no. They make it way too easy.
Every morning when I wake up, I peel my eyes open to check my email and linger over the daily Groupon or Living Social Deal deciding whether or not I’ll make the purchase.
If you are a Groupon junkie, like me, or have been thinking of signing up for Groupon and/or Living Social, here’s how I keep my little problem in check and make the most of my online restaurant coupons. Maybe you’ll find these tips helpful too.
Tip #1 – I only purchase Groupon/Living Social deals for restaurant I really love, have been dying to try, or for services I already use.
Charlotte restaurants for which I have purchased deals like this in the past and would purchase again:
300 East
Customshop
Customshop
Dandelion Market
Luna’s Living Kitchen
Phat Burrito
The Liberty Gastropub
Tip #2 – I save these deals for special occasions, date-nights, and nights when I want to do anything but cook.
For example, Brad had a rough day one day this past week so I suggested we use one of our many Groupons to treat ourselves to a nice meal.
We went to one of our favorite “nicer” restaurants, Bonterra Dining and Wine Room.
They hooked him up with a double Jack on the rocks.
When I say that a restaurant is “good” or “nice” I mean the same for their service, not just their food or their atmosphere. Bonterra definitely fits into this category.
Tip #3 – We make the most of our money by being strategic in our ordering.
In other words, we get out the calculator on our iPhones and make sure what we plan to order gets as close to the value of our Groupon or Living Social deal as possible.
Pictured: Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese, Pickled Cucumbers, Chives; Hummus
Grilled Pita, Roasted Peppers, EVOO
The hummus had a bit too much lemon juice for my taste, but the smoked salmon and goat cheese spread was so rich and delicious. I wonder if I could make this with a food processor?
I was happy to see that the cheese and meat plate included Sopressata (Brad’s favorite). Next time I’ll ask for more honey and I could have done with less mustard. I just like a teensy bit. But overall, I was pretty satisfied with this cheese plate. It was delicious.
Tip #4 – We typically share everything and order two appetizers + 1 entree or several appetizers rather than two entrees to maximize the experience.
If you’ve read Foodie Fresh for more than a week, you know I like to have tastes of a lot of things rather than one big thing at restaurants. And being my friend means sharing your food. I don’t waiver on this requirement. 
The same goes when using restaurant deals.
Pictured: P.E.I Mussles, Garlic, Shallots, Tomatoes, White Wine,Toasted Baguette
Salads were the only thing we didn’t share.
Tip #5 – We read the fine print and the coupon’s deadline for use.
Pay extra attention for these common things you’ll often find in online restaurant coupon’s fine print.
- Cannot be used toward alcohol
- Only one per table
- Coupon must be used in one visit
- Not valid toward brunch
Definitely consider these things when determining whether the online restaurant coupon is a good deal for you. For example, if you’re going out to eat with a group to a particular restaurant this weekend, you might want to ask them if any of them planned to purchase the coupon. If so, you won’t both be able to use the coupon (I’ve learned this the hard way several times). You might not want to purchase it if you think there is a chance you’ll never visit the restaurant again.
I didn’t think our $50 towards food at Bonterra would take us very far, but I left very full. Maybe a little too full, actually. Most of the entrees at Bonterra are around $30, but by ordering several appetizers, we were able to have a really nice meal for around $50 total, not including drinks.
Do you love online restaurant coupons as much as I do?
Unrelated to the post, but that’s a super cute shirt in your picture. Also, I love online coupons. I’ve gotten great deals for Barnes and Noble, Fandango, and Panacea. Although, the restaurant coupons are often more than I would spend going out by myself.
I like to spend them on dinner with friends too. You can treat them and hopefully they’ll treat you next time.
Great tips, Kelly! I love getting coupons for restaurants online too. One thing that I didn’t know when I first started was that you cannot always use them on the same day that you purchase them. Another good thing for people to know.
Good tip! I learned that the hard way too.
We have something here called Scoutmob which just automatically downloads deals to your phone and you don’t have to pay for them upfront. They’re 50% off up to certain amount (usually $15 or $20). Hopefully they’ll bring it to Charlotte soon. It’s awesome. But other than that, I do buy Groupon and Living Social sometimes.
Oooh yes, I hope that comes to Charlotte soon too!
The smoked salmon and goat cheese spread sounds amazing. If you figure out how to recreate it, I hope you’ll share the recipe! My problem with sites like Groupon and Living Social is that I overthink every purchase. Even when at the mall, I put a lot of thought into something before buying, even for something simple. So when I contemplate buying a Groupon, usually the time elapses before I’ve made up my mind!
I will share!
nom… Bonterra! Always tasty treats!!
I’m with you- lots of tastes rather than one main event is the way to go!
I am not a huge groupon buyer, but occasionally I’ll see on that strikes my fancy, and I agree- reading the fine print is KEY!
I definitely agree with you: groupons can be amazing, but you have to read the fine print! We have gotten burned by going with a large group to dinner, only to be told that we can use one groupon per table. Our fault for not paying closer attention!
Me too! It’s sooo disappointing!
This is a really helpful, informative post! I love the step-by-step instructions and pictures (I’m a visual learner!).
I do love coupon sites, although we just got Groupon recently here, so I haven’t really checked it out yet. I will now! We have a local Double Take Deals, which give half off certificates for local places. I love it, because it gives a reason to try new places with a good deal!
I really love groupon and living social. Definitely worth giving it a look.
LOVED this post! We use groupons and coupons all the time. If it is just me & my husband, we always use a coupon. If we are with friends, we try but are not always successful since others might pick the restaurant. We are traveling for our anniversary next week and I’m scouting out places on restaurant.com and figuring out our “itinerary” so we can use coupons on our anniversary trip too!
Happy anniversary! I hope it’s wonderful!