Nervous over job security, wobbly investments and shrinking buying power? Then you're probably taking a closer look at the cost of dining out.
Some diners have responded to the financial crunch by limiting the visits that they make to pricey, three-star establishments. But for the most part, the appeal of having meals without shopping, cooking or cleaning up afterward is so compelling that we continue to dine often at our favorite places, even though we are appalled by what it does to the budget.
Dining out has become as much an American tradition in this age as Sunday dinner at home was in our parents' generation. We like it, we want it, we'll do it. But we can keep our national passion from taking us to the brink of financial ruin. Some tips from the frugal diner follow:
* Be an early bird. Dining as early as 5 p.m. -- once considered terribly unfashionable -- may yet return to stylish status as more of us seek out those restaurants fighting for our business with reduced, early-hour prices. But even if the place you choose does not lower prices for early diners, you still could save. By eating at a time when you are not yet ravenously hungry, you might be able to refrain from over-ordering.
* Consider entree-less dining. In virtually all restaurants, the entree category is the most expensive on the menu. A meaty appetizer, on the other hand, routinely costs about half as much and could make a meal with the addition of salad and dessert. Examples? Buffalo chicken wings instead of grilled chicken breast, appetizer steamed mussels and garlic bread instead of seafood linguine.
* Dine out elegantly at lunch, not dinner. The food at that swanky restaurant you've been dying to try is the same at lunch and dinner, and so is the setting. The only difference is the price, which should be substantially lower in the afternoon than it is at night.
* Don't have drinks with dinner, or choose a restaurant that lets you bring your own bottle of wine, which will be considerably less expensive than wine from a restaurant's cellar (with the restaurant's mark-up).
* Consider takeout dining. Dinner-to-go is being offered by more and more good restaurants. The packaged, ready-to-eat food lets you have your favorite restaurant's specialties without the added cost of tipping. You can also save with your own wine or cocktails, but don't skimp on ambience. Have your takeout meal in a pretty setting, on the terrace or balcony in nice weather, or by the fire on a chilly day. Bring out your best china, silver and linen napkins.
