I get coupons both in the mail and also on the back of my grocery receipts for local restaurants. Some of the coupons represent good deals, and I use them, because I like the restaurants and appreciate saving money. I've noticed though that many of them require significant purchases before the discount kicks in, such as having to purchase a full dinner and drink before receiving a free appetizer or percentage off, or purchase of two full meals and drinks before getting a free dessert or similar. I will use those if I'm already planning to go to that particular restaurant for a full dinner, but I won't go out of my way to buy one or two full dinners just to get something small for free. Do you use restaurant coupons? Where do you receive them from, and which deals are attractive to you?
Well in all fairness, they have to be of some benefit to the wait staff too. I don't think any restaurant would want a bunch of people flooding in with coupons, only to take up all the tables and spend next to nothing. The servers would basically be working for nothing because they wouldn't be getting any tips most likely. Personally I always kind of feel bad about using these sorts of coupons, especially ones with big discounts such as buy one meal get one free, because I used to work as a waiter, and I know how these types of promotions can cause you to loose out on tips. If I do use something like these, I always make it a point to tip on the check as though I didn't get any discounts - so 20% of the check total before discounts.
Yes, most restaurant coupons I have seen require you to buy an entire meal then you get a free entrée or dessert. Sometimes you can get 5.00 off a 15 dollar purchase. It really depends on the restaurant. I like the coupons that give you a 1.00 off at a fast food restaurant. Some of these are really good coupons to have, and don't require major bucks spent at the restaurant.
I don't usually use the restaurant coupons unless they are a really great deal. Those coupons are a great way to get people to go to a restaurant. I find you use the coupon but end up spending more on drinks or things not included in the deal. I don't use those coupons to try out restaurants I'm not familiar with as you don't know if you are getting the best meal. For example, the coupon may be advertising a deal on pizza but once you go in you see they have chicken parmesan on the menu and you want to try that. No savings there.
I don't use the restaurant coupons often. If it is a place I like to go to and the coupon is good I will use it but I find that often the required purchase needed to use the coupon is more than I have planned to spend.
My favorite gas station is giving away food coupons for gassing up of 30 liters or more. The promo of Shell is until the end of September. What's good of the promo is the receipt can be accumulated so if I gas up for 10 liters now then I can add up to the next gas purchase until I hit 30 liters that is good for a cheese burger of McDonald. Another good thing, the redemption period is 1 year from the date of purchase.
Somehow my grandfather receives a lot of coupons for McDonald's. They are not my favorite fast food place, by far, but because I hve access to these vouchers/coupons, I will often go there and use the coupons in order to save money. The three younger children in my immediate family love McDonald's though, so they always happy.
