Visit Restaurant Websites Before Dining To Find Deals

Mrs. Edge and I like to dine out, especially on the weekends.  This can get a little pricey, so we try to take advantage of programs such as Opentable, Restaurant.com, and the Rewards Network Dining Program.  But, sometimes great deals show up on the restaurant's own website that you might miss. This past weekend was just one of those cases, and finally, the Government Shutdown paid off.

We decided to eat at an italian place in our neighborhood and wanted to see what their happy hour specials were.  Lo and behold, they were promoting a "Bring your Government ID and get 2 for 1 drinks."  Since I am a public sector management consultant in my day job, I had an ID handy.  When it came time for the bill, I showed the server my badge, and just like that, he took a drink off the bill.  Score!

The takeaway here is that you learn of special deals if you do a little research before you eat out next.