At my house, we cook a lot – or more accurately, my husband cooks! Even though we love a home-cooked meal, sometimes it’s nice for someone else to do the work. The downside of takeout and food delivery? The toll it takes on our wallets.
Here are some ways you can save money the next time you order in.
General savings tips
– Choose pick-up instead of delivery to avoid service fees, delivery fees, and tips (p.s. Although you might be prompted to, you don’t have to tip when you pick up!)
– Order at lunchtime and save your meal for dinner. Lunch prices are lower at many restaurants.
– To save money – and watch your waistline – get in the habit of saving a portion of your takeout meal for tomorrow’s lunch or sharing with a friend or family member.
– Sign up for restaurant loyalty programs to earn points towards free food & drinks. Most chains restaurants have one, including Carrabba’s, Chik-Fil-A, and Chipotle. Local restaurants might also have a loyalty program.
– With any meal delivery app that’s new to you, look for first-time user bonuses, like 30 days of free delivery or a discount on your first order. UberEats and DoorDash both often have these.
– Look for “status discounts” that you might qualify for, like student, senior, teacher, and military discounts.
– Take advantage of combo deals where you can get multiple items at a discounted price.
– Look for discounts that are specific to how you order, like ordering online or via text.
Order online
– When you order takeout on your computer, you can check deal sites or browser extensions for coupons or cashback offers that can be applied to your order. Expect about $1.50-$3.50 cashback on every order from deal sites like PayPal Honey or Rakuten, but I’ve occasionally found even bigger discounts in the 10-$20 percent off range.
– On a restaurant’s website or the site of a delivery app, look for a section like “perks,” “offers,” “deals,” or “rewards” section. You might find seasonal promotions or rewards for spending a certain amount, like “Spend $25, Save $5.”
– Look for “Invite Friends” or “referral bonuses” for a unique code that you can share with friends and on social media. When someone uses your code, you get a credit and they usually do, too!
If you order takeout frequently, consider a delivery app membership
Here are a few examples of these programs:
– UberEats Eats Pass: The 1st month is free, and every additional month is $9.99. Delivery is free and you earn 5 percent off when you spend $15+. You’ll get exclusive perks and offers for members, like no “busy area” fee when you spend at least $15.
– DoorDash DashPass: This membership is $19.99 a month or $96 a year, which is 20 percent off and your membership gets you $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible orders, plus free Max with Ads (up to $120 value)!
– GrubHub GrubHub+: Your first month is free and every additional month is $9.99. You get free delivery, reduced service fees, 5 percent back on pickup orders, plus access to exclusive offers.
Pro tip: Before joining, check your credit cards or other memberships because a free membership might be included, i.e. some American Express cards come with a complimentary 12-month subscription to the UberEats Pass. The Chase Sapphire Card and Chase United cards offer 12 months of complimentary DoorDash DashPass. With an Amazon Prime membership, you get 1 year of GrubHub+.
Hunt for discounts and points
– Always look for cashback offers and promo codes for restaurants and meal delivery services with deal sites for offers like 40 percent off your order at Papa John’s, and 20 percent off any iHOP purchase.
– Check Groupon and LivingSocial for discounts on restaurant gift cards and promotional offers at local restaurants, like 20 percent on local restaurant deals when you use a specific promo code.
– Visit restaurant.com for discounted certificates with local restaurants. You could find savings like a $25 gift certificate for only $10.
– Pay with the credit card in your wallet that offers cashback and rewards on food purchases. For example, American Express Gold offers 4 percent back on food! Google the names of your credit cards to familiarize yourself with the benefits of each.
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