Ideas for dining inexpensively

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Topic Author
Ron Ronnerson
Posts: 3563
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:53 pm
Location: Bay Area

Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Ron Ronnerson »

Some days are hectic and it's nice to be able to pick up food rather than have to deal with cooking and dishes at the end of a long day. About once a week, my wife and I (we don’t have kids) pick up a foot-long Subway sandwich and split it. We get it to go and have chips & drinks at home so it costs around $6. Once in a while, we go to a neighborhood pizzeria that has lunch specials. They serve two large slices of pizza and a drink for $7. We split that as well.

We're looking for more ideas on how to eat out inexpensively but are not interested in fast food. We’re open to both take out or eating at the restaurant and we don’t mind drinking tap water.

We’d ideally like to keep the bill under $15 (including tax) if possible to do so. In case it is useful to know our location, we live in the Bay Area. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
User avatar
cheese_breath
Posts: 11787
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by cheese_breath »

Don't know about the Bay area, but where I live you could both have a coney dog with chili cheese fries and have enough left over for the tip.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
John3754
Posts: 1289
Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2013 8:56 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by John3754 »

Chipotle, or similar "fast casual" restaurants.

Or alternatively, canned sardines + crackers = dinner for under $3.
sscritic
Posts: 21853
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:36 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by sscritic »

Ron Ronnerson wrote: They serve two large slices of pizza and a drink for $7. We split that as well.
Do they give free refills? Do the two of you both refill the one cup you get for your $7?
SGM
Posts: 3341
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:46 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by SGM »

We used to pick up a chopped or whole glazed duck on Clement Street SF on the way home from work.
chaz
Posts: 13604
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 1:44 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by chaz »

Is there a buffet?
Chaz | | “Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." Woody Allen | | http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
awval999
Posts: 1318
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:17 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by awval999 »

My wife and I usually split an app and an entree. That will save some money.
stan1
Posts: 14246
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 4:35 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by stan1 »

You really have to watch the portion size/calories at places like Chipotle. You can easily get up to 1000 or 1200 calories if you load up a burrito with cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Maybe you could split that if you are light eaters.

Panera, Rubios, etc. might be a little closer to $20 than $15 depending upon what you get but I think those would be your best bet if you are selective about choosing more healthful options. Unfortunately the cheapest restaurant food is usually not healthy.

Mom and pop ethnic places that taste good but aren't in fancy locations may also have some good choices but you will probably be a little more than $15 unless you are eating lunch plates which are usually priced less than dinner plates.
Warning: I am about 80% satisficer (accepting of good enough) and 20% maximizer
Beth*
Posts: 734
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:57 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Beth* »

Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. Salad from the salad bar (if your supermarket has one) or just buy a bag of lettuce if cutting up and washing a head of lettuce is too much work.

Reasonably healthy, inexpensive, and fast.
User avatar
black jack
Posts: 806
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:13 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by black jack »

We often get takeout Chinese or Indian food, and mix it in with lots of rice (whatever the restaurant gives, plus brown rice made at home), turning one serving of each dish into several. This works especially well with dishes that are sauced, such as butter chicken or garlic chicken.
We cannot absolutely prove [that they are wrong who say] that we have seen our best days. But so said all who came before us, and with just as much apparent reason. | -T. B. Macaulay (1800-1859)
Topic Author
Ron Ronnerson
Posts: 3563
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:53 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Ron Ronnerson »

cheese_breath wrote:Don't know about the Bay area, but where I live you could both have a coney dog with chili cheese fries and have enough left over for the tip.
This is a very good suggestion. I'm not a big fan of hotdogs but my wife enjoys them. She has Fridays off from work and will sometimes get a hotdog plus drink from Costco for $1.65 while I'm at work. I married wisely.
John3754 wrote:Chipotle, or similar "fast casual" restaurants.
I love Chipotle! Should probably go there more often.
sscritic wrote:
Ron Ronnerson wrote: They serve two large slices of pizza and a drink for $7. We split that as well.
Do they give free refills? Do the two of you both refill the one cup you get for your $7?
They serve it in a pretty big cup so we've never asked about refills.
stan1
Posts: 14246
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 4:35 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by stan1 »

black jack wrote:We often get takeout Chinese or Indian food, and mix it in with lots of rice (whatever the restaurant gives, plus brown rice made at home), turning one serving of each dish into several. This works especially well with dishes that are sauced, such as butter chicken or garlic chicken.
You can also throw in some more frozen vegetables heated up in the microwave.
Warning: I am about 80% satisficer (accepting of good enough) and 20% maximizer
User avatar
cheese_breath
Posts: 11787
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by cheese_breath »

Do your local Little Caesars have hot-n-ready pizzas out there? Around here they're under $5.00 for a 14" pepperoni.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
Topic Author
Ron Ronnerson
Posts: 3563
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:53 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Ron Ronnerson »

chaz wrote:Is there a buffet?
I don't know of any buffets near us that are under $10 per person but perhaps there are some.
awval999 wrote:My wife and I usually split an app and an entree. That will save some money.
We'll have to try that!
Beth* wrote:Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. Salad from the salad bar (if your supermarket has one) or just buy a bag of lettuce if cutting up and washing a head of lettuce is too much work.

Reasonably healthy, inexpensive, and fast.
Beth: Great idea. We do this a couple of times a month already. We get a rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, and a salad for dinner and there is even enough chicken left over to make sandwiches for lunch for the following day!
bluemarlin08
Posts: 1561
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2007 12:18 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by bluemarlin08 »

Find a good bbq place and buy a pound of q and a couple of pints of sides and eat for two meals. We have done it forever. Also do the rot. chicken and salad.
Topic Author
Ron Ronnerson
Posts: 3563
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:53 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Ron Ronnerson »

black jack wrote:We often get takeout Chinese or Indian food, and mix it in with lots of rice (whatever the restaurant gives, plus brown rice made at home), turning one serving of each dish into several. This works especially well with dishes that are sauced, such as butter chicken or garlic chicken.
This had never occurred to me. Will have to try that.
cheese_breath wrote:Do your local Little Caesars have hot-n-ready pizzas out there? Around here they're under $5.00 for a 14" pepperoni.
There isn't a Little Caesars near us but, once in a while, we pick up a two-topping pizza and chicken wings from Domino's for $12. It's enough food to give us leftovers for the next day as well. It's not the healthiest food so we try to limit how often we go there.
DSInvestor
Posts: 11647
Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:42 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by DSInvestor »

Costco rotisserie chicken $5 with salad and/or rice and veggies.
Last edited by DSInvestor on Mon May 26, 2014 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wiki
sscritic
Posts: 21853
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:36 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by sscritic »

DSInvestor wrote:Costco rotisserie chicken $5.
Costco free samples are less expensive.
dickenjb
Posts: 2941
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:11 pm
Location: Philadelphia PA

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by dickenjb »

Pho at your local Vietnamese.
Calm Man
Posts: 2917
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:35 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Calm Man »

stan1 wrote:
black jack wrote:We often get takeout Chinese or Indian food, and mix it in with lots of rice (whatever the restaurant gives, plus brown rice made at home), turning one serving of each dish into several. This works especially well with dishes that are sauced, such as butter chicken or garlic chicken.
You can also throw in some more frozen vegetables heated up in the microwave.
This. I live this way basically as fast food is always unhealthy. Even the "healthy" stuff is full of salt. Frozen vegetables aren't "cheap" but you can get them at about $1.50 to $2 a pound. Add some salt free beans from Whole Foods at about $1 per can and the meal takes 3 minutes to make. Now if you are young and not at all concerned about nutritional things, then the Subway footlongs, or Chipotle is quite inexpensive.
Maid of the Mist
Posts: 153
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 4:50 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Maid of the Mist »

I don't know specifically about the Bay area, but while traveling I often go to a large supermarket that has a large salad bar. I put the salad together "my way" and usually make just the right amount. This is a pretty healthy meal and usually pretty reasonable. Many supermarkets even have places to sit and enjoy or you can take it back to the hotel (or home).
sscritic
Posts: 21853
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:36 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by sscritic »

Maid of the Mist wrote:I don't know specifically about the Bay area, but while traveling I often go to a large supermarket that has a large salad bar. I put the salad together "my way" and usually make just the right amount. This is a pretty healthy meal and usually pretty reasonable. Many supermarkets even have places to sit and enjoy or you can take it back to the hotel (or home).
I don't know what your prices are, but paying $0.50 per ounce for lettuce that sells for $1 per 1.5 pound head two aisles away doesn't sound inexpensive to me. Now if your salad contains only tomatoes that sell for $3.00 a pound, you are only paying two and two-thirds times the regular price, much better than paying twelve times the regular price for lettuce.

On the road is one thing, but I wouldn't do this when my house is only two minutes away.
mikep
Posts: 3856
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:27 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by mikep »

Use groupon deals or an entertainment book for about half price deals or buy one get one free.
countofmc
Posts: 512
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 11:03 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by countofmc »

I find take-out from Ethnic restaurants provide the best "bang for buck". My wife and I do not exactly eat like birds, but we usually still get about 3-4 total meals out of two entrees from our local Thai place.
Maid of the Mist
Posts: 153
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 4:50 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Maid of the Mist »

I agree with sscritics economics and those economics are true of any decent take-out or restaurant options. And I personally do make salads at home. The poster did not seem interested in spending time preparing meals though.

Buying all the ingredients for a large, good, "complete meal" salad can get expensive (romaine lettuce, spinach, arugala, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, peppers, avocados, various types of beans, mushrooms, onions, garlic, broccoli, red cabbage, sunflower seeds, tofu, etc). Also there is prep time - cutting, steaming, etc. If you can use all those ingredients over the next few days (they don't last)and you have the time to prepare, then you are far better off buying the ingredients. However, if you want a healthy meal quickly, a salad bar can be a great alternative. When we go to supermarket salad bars, we spend $6 to $7 per salad - which I admit is a lot. But you can also spend that and more at restaurants or many fast food places.
sscritic
Posts: 21853
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:36 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by sscritic »

Maid of the Mist wrote:I agree with sscritics economics and those economics are true of any decent take-out or restaurant options. And I personally do make salads at home. The poster did not seem interested in spending time preparing meals though.

Buying all the ingredients for a large, good, "complete meal" salad can get expensive (romaine lettuce, spinach, arugala, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, peppers, avocados, various types of beans, mushrooms, onions, garlic, broccoli, red cabbage, sunflower seeds, tofu, etc). Also there is prep time - cutting, steaming, etc. If you can use all those ingredients over the next few days (they don't last)and you have the time to prepare, then you are far better off buying the ingredients. However, if you want a healthy meal quickly, a salad bar can be a great alternative. When we go to supermarket salad bars, we spend $6 to $7 per salad - which I admit is a lot. But you can also spend that and more at restaurants or many fast food places.
Once more for the frugal in me. If they offer $6 a pound cheese, that is all I would put in my salad. Unless they offer crab or shrimp.

When I go to a restaurant offering "pick one of three entrees, one of three appetizers, and one of three desserts" prix fixe, I always get the most expensive items, even if I don't like them. My thrift knows no bounds. :)
MoonOrb
Posts: 1506
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:58 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by MoonOrb »

dickenjb wrote:Pho at your local Vietnamese.
This, and also perhaps Ethiopian (don't know if they're as prevalent in the Bay Area as they are in Seattle). The Ethiopian place we go to has a combination plate that, with tax and tip is $15 even. And totally enough to feed us both.

Seconding the idea of splitting a main and an appetizer, that usually keeps us under $22 with tax and tip. There's a Mexican joint we like where we get an enormous burrito for about $8.50 which we could split if we carried out (which sometimes we do and take it to the beach). If we also get an appetizer to go with it, it usually works out to about $18 after tax/tip.
User avatar
cfs
Posts: 4154
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:22 am
Location: ~ Mi Propio Camino ~

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by cfs »

Denny's

In your area I see one at Beach Street SF and one at Mission St SF.

Plus, I use a discount card and receive 20% discount after 4PM.

Thank you.
~ Member of the Active Retired Force since 2014 ~
JW-Retired
Posts: 7189
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:25 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by JW-Retired »

Ron Ronnerson wrote: Some days are hectic and it's nice to be able to pick up food rather than have to deal with cooking and dishes at the end of a long day. About once a week, my wife and I (we don’t have kids) pick up a foot-long Subway sandwich and split it. We get it to go and have chips & drinks at home so it costs around $6.
Proud to say wife and I have you out-inexpensived (although it is just lunch). We split a 6-inch Subway sandwich and a single bag of chips. :beer
JW
Retired at Last
countofmc
Posts: 512
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 11:03 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by countofmc »

JW Nearly Retired wrote:
Ron Ronnerson wrote: Some days are hectic and it's nice to be able to pick up food rather than have to deal with cooking and dishes at the end of a long day. About once a week, my wife and I (we don’t have kids) pick up a foot-long Subway sandwich and split it. We get it to go and have chips & drinks at home so it costs around $6.
Proud to say wife and I have you out-inexpensived (although it is just lunch). We split a 6-inch Subway sandwich and a single bag of chips. :beer
JW
Subway was a life-saver in my high school and college days.
User avatar
yukonjack
Posts: 647
Joined: Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:36 pm
Location: Rocky Mountain West

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by yukonjack »

The prepared food section at Whole Foods. They have a great selection and most of it is pretty good for you, especially compared to restaurant food. I would second the previous post of Costco. Although your choices are limited.
island
Posts: 1971
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:45 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by island »

mikep wrote:Use groupon deals or an entertainment book for about half price deals or buy one get one free.
We use the Entertainment Book too. Pays for itself in a few uses and since we like to go out for lunch or dinner it gets us to try some new places, especially for the inexpensive choices.

We like to try different ethnic mom and pop places, Mexican, Chinese, Thai and Greek and get dishes to share.

Also call in order to pick up Costco whole pizzas to go from their food court and my family loves it.
User avatar
ClevrChico
Posts: 3259
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:24 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by ClevrChico »

Splitting Subway is hard to beat for value.

Aldi has HUGE take and bake pizzas for $6. They are delicious and rival most pizza restaurants.
User avatar
Zabar
Posts: 635
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:05 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Zabar »

There are two restaurants near us--one is Asian fusion, the other a French bistro--that offer dirt-cheap small plates of food and half-price wine and beer during happy hour in their respective bars. My wife and I will sometimes go there and make it a meal that costs about half of what the people in the dining room are paying.
LeeMKE
Posts: 2233
Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2013 9:40 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by LeeMKE »

I'll chime in with ethnic restaurants for the best value and quality.

Vietnamese, Indian, Thai, Ethiopian, Chinese if real chinese food, and Uncle Vito's pizza in SF are our favorites. Very tasty, usually plenty for two meals, and fresh ingredients.
The mightiest Oak is just a nut who stayed the course.
User avatar
joe8d
Posts: 4545
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:27 pm
Location: Buffalo,NY

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by joe8d »

With me, it's 2 for 1 coupons at BK, McD's, Wendys and Arby's :happy
All the Best, | Joe
User avatar
LowER
Posts: 691
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:43 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by LowER »

Home Depot hot dogs and soda! The ones you get on your way out the door for $1.50! That's my sodium for a week.

Also 6 inch veggie on flat bread at Subway - scrumpdillyicious! With a grocery store receipt coupon, they are a dollar.
Last edited by LowER on Mon May 26, 2014 10:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
cheese_breath
Posts: 11787
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by cheese_breath »

joe8d wrote:With me, it's 2 for 1 coupons at BK, McD's, Wendys and Arby's :happy
OP isn't interested in fast food so that disqualifies three of them. I'd say Arby's sandwiches are a good choice though.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
Robert44
Posts: 164
Joined: Mon Nov 23, 2009 6:33 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Robert44 »

It is suprising to me how so few people want to cook healthy anymore. I cook twice a week, There are two of us. Cook two meals that will feed you for for 3 days, stagger the meals and go out one other night, or not. All the pre cooked meals at deli's or supermarkets or fast food places are loaded with sodium. It really is a no brainer.
User avatar
joe8d
Posts: 4545
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:27 pm
Location: Buffalo,NY

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by joe8d »

cheese_breath wrote:
joe8d wrote:With me, it's 2 for 1 coupons at BK, McD's, Wendys and Arby's :happy
OP isn't interested in fast food so that disqualifies three of them. I'd say Arby's sandwiches are a good choice though.
Yep. Arby's is on the menu for tomorrow.
All the Best, | Joe
island
Posts: 1971
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:45 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by island »

Robert44 wrote:It is suprising to me how so few people want to cook healthy anymore. I cook twice a week, There are two of us. Cook two meals that will feed you for for 3 days, stagger the meals and go out one other night, or not. All the pre cooked meals at deli's or supermarkets or fast food places are loaded with sodium. It really is a no brainer.

Wanting to go out for a meal now and then doesn't mean people aren't cooking or eating healthy.
Robert44
Posts: 164
Joined: Mon Nov 23, 2009 6:33 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Robert44 »

The subject was "dining inexpensively" going out to eat is not inexpensive unless you want to eat fast food.
User avatar
FrugalInvestor
Posts: 6214
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 11:20 pm

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by FrugalInvestor »

One of my wife's and my favorite places to dine out is the local Mongolian Grill. If you choose wisely (easy on the noodles, heavy on the vegetables) it can be very healthy and you choose seasonings to suit your taste. Dinner costs us about $12 each. If we arrive early for 'happy hour' or eat have a large lunch instead of dinner it's $2 less. We've found that Mongolian Grills of one brand or another are very common in some areas and difficult to find in others.
Have a plan, stay the course and simplify. Then ignore the noise!
Topic Author
Ron Ronnerson
Posts: 3563
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:53 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Ron Ronnerson »

I went to my in-laws' house tonight for dinner (another great way to save on dining, I suppose) so didn't get a chance to thank all of you for your responses sooner. However, I definitely do appreciate all the ideas and will surely try some of them out.
mikep wrote:Use groupon deals or an entertainment book for about half price deals or buy one get one free.
We haven't bought an entertainment book in a few years. We used to get one each year but the selection of restaurants seemed to be getting smaller and smaller each year. All that was left were places about to go out of business and fast food. I do like the Groupon idea. Do they often have offers for restaurants on there?
countofmc wrote:I find take-out from Ethnic restaurants provide the best "bang for buck". My wife and I do not exactly eat like birds, but we usually still get about 3-4 total meals out of two entrees from our local Thai place.
We like Thai food quite a bit so this idea would work well for us. Thanks!
Topic Author
Ron Ronnerson
Posts: 3563
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:53 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Ron Ronnerson »

Maid of the Mist wrote: The poster did not seem interested in spending time preparing meals though.
Just to touch upon this: I cook almost every day. My wife has a terrible commute and is stuck in traffic for much of early evening so I make most of the dinners. Cooking is not a passion for me and after working all day myself, I'm usually pretty tired (I teach 5th grade and 30 ten-year old kids have a way of tiring a person out). I'm trying to get creative by making life a little easier and picking up dinner once in a while at an affordable price.
sscritic wrote:When I go to a restaurant offering "pick one of three entrees, one of three appetizers, and one of three desserts" prix fixe, I always get the most expensive items, even if I don't like them. My thrift knows no bounds
sscritic: I like your style!
JW Nearly Retired wrote:Proud to say wife and I have you out-inexpensived (although it is just lunch). We split a 6-inch Subway sandwich and a single bag of chips. JW
Wow! I don't think we could manage on half of a half-sandwich but have to say I am impressed!
yukonjack wrote:The prepared food section at Whole Foods. They have a great selection and most of it is pretty good for you, especially compared to restaurant food. I would second the previous post of Costco. Although your choices are limited.
We have a Whole Foods not too far from where we live. I haven't tried their prepared foods but will have to give that a shot. Thanks for the idea!
Topic Author
Ron Ronnerson
Posts: 3563
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:53 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Ron Ronnerson »

Robert44 wrote:It is suprising to me how so few people want to cook healthy anymore. I cook twice a week, There are two of us. Cook two meals that will feed you for for 3 days, stagger the meals and go out one other night, or not. All the pre cooked meals at deli's or supermarkets or fast food places are loaded with sodium. It really is a no brainer.
I cook almost every day. I'm just looking for ideas on the days that I don't want to do so. I realize that it is healthier to prepare food at home and am by no means looking to swap cooking for eating out on a daily basis.
Topic Author
Ron Ronnerson
Posts: 3563
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:53 pm
Location: Bay Area

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by Ron Ronnerson »

FrugalInvestor wrote:One of my wife's and my favorite places to dine out is the local Mongolian Grill. If you choose wisely (easy on the noodles, heavy on the vegetables) it can be very healthy and you choose seasonings to suit your taste. Dinner costs us about $12 each. If we arrive early for 'happy hour' or eat have a large lunch instead of dinner it's $2 less. We've found that Mongolian Grills of one brand or another are very common in some areas and difficult to find in others.
I have not seen any of these around my neck of the woods but will keep my eyes open. Thanks for the suggestion.
flyingaway
Posts: 3908
Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:19 am

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by flyingaway »

I don't understand why McDonalds is considered as (bad) fast food, while Subway is not.
Last time travelling on the road, my wife decided that we need some "healthy" food, not fast food, so we skipped McDonalds and went to Applebee. We waited for 30 minutes to get our orders, which were burgers and fries. Although they might be different from those from McDonalds, they were still burgers and fries. The price was three times that of McDonalds, plus tips.
jlawrence01
Posts: 1908
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:34 am
Location: Southern AZ

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by jlawrence01 »

Most grocery stores carry a wide variety of prepared foods that are a fraction of the cost of eating out in a sit-down restaurant.

Even when I was working, I generally avoided the option. I found that in general, I could put together very nutritious meals together from scratch in 30 minutes or less. While I was cooking that night's meal, I could also whip up a pot of chili or soup for the rest of the week. It was a major priority for us.
sport
Posts: 12094
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:26 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: Ideas for dining inexpensively

Post by sport »

Costco is a good place for inexpensive food. The food court has a number of choices. There are also prepared foods in the refrigerated cases. The rotisserie chicken is an additional choice. You can get cooked pizza at the food court, $10 for an extra large (with or without toppings). Alternatively, you can get raw pizzas to take home and bake. The quality of all of the items is better than you might expect.
Jeff
Post Reply