If anyone knows me, they know that I enjoy nothing more than saving a buck on things I already do. In this case, it’s eating out!
With the advent of the 21st century, we can now herald a carriage to take us pretty much anywhere, sext a complete stranger from miles away and, best of all, get REIMBURSED for getting grub on the go.
The following are my three favorite apps for saving green while eating lean, sorted from most to least useful/favorite!
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- Seated
Formerly known as Vocolife, this clever app rewards diligent diners by giving out $15 – $20 in Amazon, Uber or Starbucks credit just for fulfilling a reservation. That’s right, all you have to do is find the restaurant in-app, reserve a time, and tell that restaurant you made a reservation (no need to mention Seated at all since it goes to their own reservation management system) when you arrive. Classy! You’ll get your ample reward within 24 hours after your reservation. Uber home in gratis-greatness, on a full belly and a full wallet!
Use my invite code TERRY3 to get an automatic $5 credit when you get started.
Servy this app is now defunctWhy write Yelp reviews if you can write a review and get paid for it as a sure thing? With Servy, diners can get back $1-$10 for simply snapping a pic of the check, answering a few set questions about their experience at the restaurant and then submitting their thoughts within 5 hours. Servy rewards are a bit less than Seated ones, but you can combine both for maximum savings. That makes the sting of the check a lot less potent!
Click my invite link to get a $5 credit when you complete a featured review!
- Allset
What if you could have your steaming hot meal ready for you the moment you step into the restaurant, no waiting for the waiter to take your order or get your check? That was the premise behind Allset. The app’s intuitive interface makes it easy to find your restaurant of choice, and referring friends gets you $10, which is pretty much a free meal. I used it on one of my favorite burrito joints, Al Horno, and ended up paying $5 for a $11.95 burrito, more than 50% in savings. Tax and tip are also factored in.
Use my invite code BSZX26 to get an automatic $10 credit when you get started (it’s currently a $50 extra bonus so sign up asap!).
- Groupon+
Slightly annoying but worth it describes Groupon’s cashback dining program, Groupon+. Essentially, to find a location that actually offers it, you need to scroll through a list of establishments that can only be sorted by location and price and is non-search-term-able since the Groupon staff brilliantly populated their own search box with the Groupon+ search term (writing in your own term will essentially negate that filter). The cash back is worth it, since they offer up to 30% back on your linked card up to $150. Work that dough!
- Yelp Cashback
Yes, I know I JUST knocked Yelp in a previous paragraph, but the go-to restaurant review giant does offer a decent cash back program if you link a credit card to it in-app. Cash back works by you using the card registered to pay for the meal, then having the offered percentage paid back to you via PayPal. Cash back ranges from 7% – 10% depending on the establishment, and isn’t limited to just restaurants! The only caveat is that not that many businesses participate, so you’ll likely have to seek out the ones that do, if that’s your thing.
- Seated
What apps or methods do YOU use to save on eating out? Sound off in the comments section!