Eat out for less than a takeaway!

There are so many 2-for-1 credit-crunch-busting restaurant vouchers around - is it actually cheaper to eat out nowadays than get a takeaway? We munch down the figures.

How many of us have had to tighten our belts due to the credit crunch? With pay freezes biting, bonuses just a distant memory and the cost of living rising, it's not surprising that we're all trying to watch the pennies.  

And the first things to go are, of course, luxuries. Expensive treats such as foreign holidays, for example, are being swapped for cheaper UK breaks. Figures from the Civil Aviation Authority have shown that, for the first time in 17 years, the number of travellers using UK airports has fallen. And garages are reporting surges in the number of people paying to maintain older cars, rather than replace them with newer models.

We can still afford the odd takeaway

But while being careful is important, most of us feel that we still need a few treats to keep us sane - which may explain why pizza delivery companies such as Domino's Pizzas are still doing well. We may not be able to afford to go out for dinner, but we can still stretch to a Friday night takeaway!

But could we eat out for the same price?

However, if you're a regular reader, you'll no doubt have seen that a number of restaurants have started giving money-off vouchers to lure in potential diners. Often dubbed the "Credit Munch", you simply visit the website of a well-known chain of your choice, where you can typically print off a voucher giving one free meal if you pay for one.

Of course, you're probably still thinking: Eating out is a luxury I cannot afford in these recession-hit times. Better to stay in,instead.

But staying in with a takeaway actually more expensive than going out? Is it now possible to dine out for less than the price of a pizza delivery?

Comparing takeaways to restaurants

I decided to compare and contrast the costs of ordering a takeaway with going to a restaurant and using a money saving voucher, comparing like with like as much as possible.

1.     Domino's Pizza vs Pizza Express

So first up for the takeaways is Domino's pizza. Assuming we're feeding two people and looking at the standard menu, we could order a medium sized (11.5") cheese and tomato Margherita pizza to share for £9.99. Add on a portion of garlic bread for £2.99 and a 1.25l bottle of coke for £1.89 and you're looking at a grand total of £14.87.

Now let's compare this with popular high street chain Pizza Express. Two people ordering classic Margherita pizzas at £5.75 each, plus garlic bread/baked dough balls for £2.30 and a couple of cokes at £1.90 each make a grand total of £17.60 - £2.73 more than the take away.

Use those vouchers!

However, dine at Pizza Express with one of these vouchers and you'll get 2-for-1 on main meals - making one of those pizzas free. Now, we're looking at being charged just £11.85.

Service

Now, you'll probably have realised service wasn't included in the calculations. But even after adding on a 10% tip we'd still only be looking at a bill of just over £13 - nearly £2 less than we'd pay at Domino's! And remember, you're getting a pizza each at Pizza Express, while at Domino's you'd sharing a medium pizza between the two of you.

Of course, there are a few caveats to confuse things. You can only use the Pizza Express vouchers between Sunday and Thursday, not ideal if you prefer to go out at the weekend (the voucher is valid until 29 March 2009). But assuming you could live with this, it does prove an interesting option - especially if you have an Orange mobile, and can go on a Wednesday. Then you'll get free dough balls (or garlic bread), as well as 2-for-1 on main meals! Now that's what I'd call a bargain.

2.     Pizza Hut vs Zizzi's

Now let's take a look at pasta:

Pizza Hut offers an individual portion of Penne Bolognaise for £4.99. Two portions of this delivered to your home, plus a couple of 330ml Pepsis (69p each) and a serving of garlic bread (£1.99) come to a grand total of £13.35.

Zizzi's has Spaghetti Bolognaise on the menu for £7.45. If two people were to order it, plus garlic bread (£3.75) and a couple of 330ml cokes (at £1.95 each) this comes to £22.55, significantly more than the takeaway.

However, use a Zizzi's 2 for 1 voucher and one of those main courses will be free, reducing the bill to £15.10. Add on service and you're looking at £16.61. So in this case eating out would cost you more - an extra £3.26 over the takeaway. But still, this shows just how little difference there can be between eating out and staying in.

Again the Zizzi's deal can only be used from Sunday to Thursday and the voucher is valid until 9 April 2009.

3. Chinese Takeaway vs Wagamamas

And finally, a quick look at everyone's favourite takeaway - Chinese. As there isn't a national chain I've used the prices from my local takeaway, where you can order Chicken Chow Mein (fried noodles) for £6.30. Two portions, two cokes (70p each) and some spring rolls at £3.75 comes to a grand total of £17.75.

Order two portions of Yaki Soba (fried noodles) at my local Wagamamas and you'll pay £6.80 a pop. Add on some gyoza dumplings (£4.65) and a couple of cokes (£1.95 each) and you'll be charged £22.15. However, use this voucher (valid until 5 April) and you'll get one of those main courses for free (reducing the bill to £15.35). Add on service and you'll still only be looking at a bill of £16.89 - nearly a pound less than the takeaway!

What's more, if you're being really frugal you could order green tea (which is free) instead of coke  and pay just £12.60 - a whopping £5.25 less than the takeaway!

Eating out can be as cheap as a take away!

So as you can see, surprising though it may seem it is possible for two people to eat out in a restaurant for less than it would cost them to order a takeaway - great news if you like going out but need to watch that cash.

And which is best? Well it's all down to personal preference of course!

Other vouchers

One word of warning if you are planning to use a voucher is to check when it's valid first - there's nothing worse than turning up and ordering only to find your voucher isn't valid or has expired. If you're planning to go out on a Friday or Saturday, pick Wagamamas as its voucher is valid anytime until 5 April - the Zizzi's and Pizza Express deals are only valid between Sunday and Thursday.

And don't forget I've only looked at three of the deals currently available. Restaurants including Strada, Ask, Café Rouge, TGI Fridays, Wagamama and Bella Italia are also offering vouchers at the moment - you can find them all in this article. And if you're keen to stay in the know, sign up for our Frugal Friday email to get details of the deals sent to you directly, each week.

Final tips

And finally:

If you are ordering takeaway, it's always worth calling up beforehand to ask what offers are available. Many takeaways, including Domino's and Pizza Hut have offers and meal deals that are location specific, so find out if you could save any money - or check those annoying menu leaflets that get pushed through the letterbox for vouchers.

Children's meals are rarely included in 2-for-1 deals - if you have two or more kids you may find it is cheaper to simply order them adult meals with a voucher (however, kids do eat free with a full-paying adult in Café Rouge until the end of March).

And finally, side dishes can be the frugal diner's undoing. They often cost as much as a main meal but rarely form part of an offer, so if you really want to keep your costs low you need to be disciplined and ignore them! And as for drinks, ask for a jug of tap water - not only is it more environmentally friendly than bottled, it's also free!

Happy dining!

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