Top 10 Family Friendly Restaurant Deals of 2009

It’s Saturday afternoon.  I’m with my wife and 2 little girls and we are a hungry.  However, I get nauseous at the thought of ordering one more flippin’ Happy Meal or Kid’s Meal from my car!  (I usually get my grease fix when I’m alone). 

Right now my wife and I want to go to a “family friendly” restaurant where we can sit down with our kids, order an appetizer, maybe a couple of beers or margaritas, and have a good meal without spending more than $50 for the 4 of us (and yes, that includes tip). 

The Diner Dave Definition of a Family Friendly Restaurant

 

Now keep in mind that my definition of “family friendly” might differ from yours.  In my opinion a restaurant doesn’t necessarily need a sandbox, a ball pit or a bunch of colorful giant plastic gerbil tubes to be considered family friendly. 

To me a family friendly restaurant has to have the following:

• Kid’s menu - with food that kids will actually eat!
• Friendly waitstaff - just be nice to my kids…that’s all that I ask.
• Inexpensive meals where you can get a lot, but pay a little.
• Drink specials - that’s right….I wanna drink after I’ve spent all day with hyper little girls (don’t I deserve it?)

By my definition, Chuck E. Cheese does NOT qualify as a family friendly - no drink specials for the adults!

Casual Dining Chains to the Rescue!

 

So where do you and your brood go when tummies start growling?   You go to the Casual dining restaurant chains of course! 

Interesting fact:  Did you know that casual dining chains are struggling right now because of this tough economy?   Many of them are willing to discount their appetizers and entrees to get you and your family out of the car and through their front door.  

Since restaurant patrons are paying more attention to prices, casual dining restaurant owners are now lowering their menu prices to compete with the quick service and fast food restaurants.   Here are a few prime examples:

Diner Dave’s Top 10 Family Friendly Restaurant Deals of 2009

 

One of Applebee's 2 for $20 entrees

1. Applebee’s -  Where “feelin good in the neighborhood” means sharing an appetizers and 2 entrees for only $20(including the Fiesta Lime Chicken…YUM!).   No Applebee’s coupons are required to take advantage of this special offer.

2. T.G.I.Fridays - Check out their “Right Portion, Right Price” menu with entrees ranging from $6.99 to $9.99.  Their slogan says it all:  ”Stretch your taste buds’ limits, not your wallet’s”.  
3. Chili’s - 10 entrees under $7.  Need I say more?  Gotta have those baby back, baby back, baby back ribs?  You can even order a half rack to save some moola.
4. Ruby Tuesday - you gotta try their mouthwatering handcrafted burgers!   My fave is the simple Ruby’s Classic Burger for only $6.99…it’s the American classic “perfected” (at least according to their menu). 
5. Macaroni Grill - Try the “Chicken Fingerias” for your kiddos - only $5.99 and it comes with their signature Mac & Cheese.   Speaking of Mac - you can now sign up for the Mac Pack email club and get a free appetizer with 2 entrees.   Added bonus:  your kids get to draw on their paper table cloth with crayons!  
6. Outback Steakhouse - Go down under with 15 entrees that are “down under” $15!  Many of the entrees on the Outback Steakhouse menu start at $9.95.  This restaurant is a little pricier compared to the other restaurants, but they have an excellent “Joey Menu” for the kiddos with a big selection of kid friendly dishes under $6!
   

   Olive Garden Endless Soup & Salad

7. Olive Garden - You know that I have to include Olive Garden in my list of family friendly restaurants.  Afterall, their tag line is “when you’re here you’re family”.   Here you get a lot for your money with the “endless soup & salad” and a wide selection of Italian specialties for under $10.

8. Cheesecake Factory - The Cheesecake Factory’s menu can be a little overwhelming with over 200 “fresh from scratch” menu items and 30 mouthwatering cheesecakes to choose from!  However, you are almost certain to find something that everyone at the table will enjoy.   The “Small Plates and Snacks” menu features 16 entrees & apps priced at a measly $3.95 to $6.50.
9. Buffalo Wild Wings - OK..so maybe this one is a little more for me than my kids.  After all, they’re known for their wings, sports, and beer for daddy.  But, they also have video games and some tasty chicken tenders for the little ones.  Plus, they have great promotions on weekdays to reduce your tab (like 40 cent “Wing Tuesdays” and 60 cent “Boneless Thursdays”).
10. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers -  Of course I have to include a burger joint on my list.  I’m a burger-holic and this place makes burgers that are quite simply works of art!   I joined their Red Robin eClub in March and have already received 3 emails offering free burgers, appetizers, and drinks.  What a great way to recruit a customer (and his family) for life!

I don’t always eat out at the casual dining restaurant chains, but when I do, these are my favorites (I sound like the Dos Equis guy, right?).  And, most importantly, my kids love these restaurants.  The food is consistently good, the waitstaff is friendly and the kids menus are always a big hit!

Do you have a favorite family friendly restaurant I didn’t include?   I would love to hear your top picks in the comments section!

Top 10 Websites for Restaurant Addicts (Part 1)

Dining Out and Gift Ideas for Dads and Grads

June is almost upon us, and that means it’s time to honor our fathers and celebrate the graduation of our sons and/or daughters!   Since I am a father of 3 beautiful children and a graduate of Florida State University (go Seminoles!) that makes me an expert in selecting the perfect gifts and planning the perfect day for your dads and/or grads.   Or, given my status as both a father and a graduate, I can at least give you some good ideas, right?

Give your dad or grad the gift of food!

As you know, my website is all about providing foodies with tips and advice to enhance their dining out experience.   That being the case, I will limit my celebration and gift suggestions to only the picks that would satisfy the appetite of your dad or grad.

Plan a Special Brunch, Lunch or Dinner - and do it NOW!

Father’s Day is June 21st and graduation day falls on different days throughout June, so you need to reserve your table as soon as possible.  Many popular restaurants may be booked solid on Father’s Day or Graduation Day a couple of weeks beforehand.

Selecting the right restaurant

This is the easy part!  Just ask your dad or grad “what’s your favorite restaurant?”  and make reservations at that restaurant.  Or, if you prefer it to be a suprise, use restaurant review sites like Zagat or Yelp to research which restaurants have a special “Father’s Day Menu” (you can also type “father’s day menu” into google + name of your city to get some ideas).   Many times a restaurant will have a fixed menu available for special occasions or holidays and you will end up paying less than if you simply order straight from their regular menu.

If you’re planning a brunch, you should call a few upscale hotels in your area to see if they will be serving a brunch buffet for Father’s Day.  It’s been my experience that these types of hotels generally have a HUGE breakfast and lunch buffet on that special day.   Just don’t be embarrassed when your dad is loosening his belt a notch (or unbuttoning his pants) after an epic gorging!

Reserving Your Table

Once you’ve selected the restaurant for brunch, lunch or dinner, try to reserve your table for the earliest time available for your meal.   That should be 10-11am for brunch, 11:30-12:30pm for lunch, or 4:30pm-5:30pm for dinner.  There should be less people dining during the earlier hours and you will find that the service level is higher when your server is waiting on fewer tables.   You can make reservations through OpenTable.com, an online reservation service that will give you a confirmation number and notify you via email of the upcoming reservation.  You can even send a special e-vite to your friends through Open Table.  And, the best part

Paying the Tab

This is your dad’s special day.  Do NOT let him pay for the meal!  If you have one of those dads that always insists on picking up the tab, let your server know beforehand that YOU will be paying for the meal.   You can do this discretely by excusing yourself from the table to use the restroom and give the server your credit card before the first entree is served.   I would say that the same goes for the graduate, but when was the last time they picked up a tab?

3 Gifts That Will Make Your Dad or Grad Drool!  (and NO it’s not a tie)

1.  Pizza of the Month Club - You can send 3 Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizzas from Clubs of America every month from 1 month to up to 12 months ($25 savings if you sign them up for 1 year).   Not a pizza fan?  They also have clubs for beer, wine, coffee, and chocolate of the month.   The thing I like best about this “of the month” club is that you can sign up for just one month!  You don’t need to join for several months.

2.  Dining SUPER Certificates - These are sold on GiftCertificates.com and allow your dad or grad to redeem the certificate for gift cards from SEVERAL restaurants including:  McCormick & Schmick’s, Palm Restaurant, Bucca di Beppo, Chili’s, and many more!   What red blooded American male wouldn’t want a juicy steak from the Palm or McCormick & Schmick’s?   You can get them in denominations from $5 to $500!

3.  Restaurant.com Gift Certificates - Do I sound like a broken record by, once again, recommending Restaurant.com gift certificates?  I’m sorry if I do…I just LOVE buying $25 restaurant gift certificates for $10 or less!  You can even buy these gift certificates for $5, $4, or even $3 by using special coupon codes available here.   If there is a special promotion and $25 Restaurant Gift Certificates are sold for only $3, you can print 8 of these certificates for the price of 1!  Wouldn’t 8 gift certificates make a great addition to a Father’s Day Card?

I hope that you find these tips & ideas useful to you when you are planning that special day for your dad or grad!

40% OFF Annual Subscription to Zagat.com!

When it comes to restaurant reviews, Zagat is the gold standard!  Now, you can get a premium membership at Zagat.com for 40% OFF with coupon code AFF40OCT!   That’s a $24.95/yr membership for ONLY $14.95!! 

When you suscribe to Zagat.com as a premium member you get access to over 40,000 ZAGAT ratings and reviews for restaurants, nightspots, hotels, and attractions - Worldwide!  Plus, you get ratings and reviews on your mobile phone at ZAGAT.mobi.  And lastly, you save up to 25% in their online store.

This offer is valid through June 30, 2009!

Urbanspoon + iPhone = A Match Made in Foodie Heaven!

Doncha just love the iPhone commercial where “the hand” searches for a restaurant using the Urbanspoon restaurant “slot machine” on the phone?  Boy, I do!  I’ve held off on buying an iPhone for as long as I could, but once I saw this commercial I turned to my wife and said “I NEED that phone!”   I purchased it the next day and have been using the Urbanspoon application for about two weeks.  I can’t believe this remarkable app is free!

To tell you how it works would almost be insulting because it’s just so darn easy.   It’s so easy that I let my 4 yr old daughter select a place for us to eat last Tuesday using the Urbanspoon app (we had pulled pork sandwiches at Willie’s Grill & Icehouse in case you were wondering).

Here is a brief run through on how to use Urbanspoon for the iPhone (or iTouch).

1. Download it for FREE on iTunes or directly from the App Store on your iPhone.  Click here ->
2. Click the Urbanspoon icon on the iPhone and the it will triangulate your position based on the built in GPS.  It will ask if you want to use your current location or select another city.
3. Once you select your preferred city, the restaurant “slot machine” will pop up on the screen so you can narrow down your search by neighborhood, cuisine, and dollar amount.  You can lock in any of these parameters by pressing one of the 3 padlock icons on the bottom of the screen.  Then just hit the “Shake” button and let the Urbanspoon slot machine go to work!
4. Once you click on the restaurant that Urbanspoon selects you can read reviews by other users, leave your own reviews, view photos, read a menu, get directions (with maps!), and call the restaurant from the contact info page!   All that’s left to do is make the reservation - if one is required.   If the restaurant does require a reservation, you could also download the Open Table app on your iPhone!

What’s that you say?  You are not ready to rush out and buy an iPhone just to get an incredible mobile dining app?  Fret not…you can go to your bulky desktop computer or laptop and visit Urbanspoon.com to accomplish the same thing as the mobile app!

I would love to hear what you iPhone-ites or Urbanspoon.com visitors think about this terrific app.   Please leave me your comments.

Top 10 Websites for Restaurant Addicts (Part 2)

This is a continuation from last weeks post on 10 websites no restaurant addict should be without.  So far I’ve covered Restaurant.com, Entertainment.com, Zagat.com,  Urbanspoon.com, and LocalWineEvents.com.    The next five websites will allow you to order meals for delivery, add up points to receive free meals, make reservations online, and get insider tips about the restaurant from the locals:

1. Vmeals.com - Can’t leave the office for lunch or dinner?
   You can order food online from several hundred restaurants in 33 major cities in the U.S.. First, you select a menu from one of their restaurants and choose items for your order. Then arrange for delivery and payment via their secure web site. Vmeals routes your order to the food provider, confirms acceptance of the order, then tracks your order and manages any changes. It’s that simple!
   Plan B: If Vmeals is not offering delivery services in your city, you can also try seamlessweb.com or ordercorner.com.
2. RewardsNetwork.com - Get 20% cash back when you dine
   When you join Rewards Network online, there are no out–of–pocket costs. You simply register a credit or debit card with them and use it to pay the bill at participating restaurants, bars and clubs when Cashback Rewards are being offered. After that, additional Cashback Rewards are automatically credited to the card you used a couple days after you dine.
3. Yelp.com - Real People. Real Reviews.
   Yelp is the new and fun way to find, review and talk about what’s great - and not so great - in your neighborhood and beyond, everything from cool restaurants to the latest bar or club opening! This is a great complement to Citysearch.com because many times it will have reviews for restaurants that are not included on the other site.  Bonus: You can also find reviews on everything else from yoga instructors to doctors!
4. OpenTable.com -  The world’s most popular website for making reservations online
   Over 90 million diners have used OpenTable.com to make lunch and dinner reservations at over 10,000 restaurants nationwide!  Not only can you make the reservations, but you can send email invites to friends and receive email reminders of the event that you booked.   Bonus:  When you join Open Table you are automatically enrolled in the “Dining Rewards” program.  You receive Dining Rewards points every time you make a reservation.  When you accrue over 1,000 points you can redeem them for $20, $50, or $100 Open Table Dining Cheques that can be used at ANY of the restaurants featured on the site!
5. Citysearch.com - Reviews and recomendations that include “insider tips” from the LOCALS
   Want to know the parking situation at different restaurants, whether it is “kid friendly”, or perhaps the best time of day to avoid a crowd? Citysearch includes these tips and more in the info section of each restaurant!  Plus it will direct you to nearby bars, hotels, spas, and theatres when you are done with your meal.

I know what you’re thinking…”But Diner Dave, I could find these websites using Google, so why do I need this list from you?”  And the answer is that I have actually used all of these dining and restaurant related websites every time I go out to eat.   When you are attempting to select a  nice restaurant for dinner would you rather sift through a random list of restaurant review sites based on a couple of keywords?  Or would you rather listen to someone that has REPEATEDLY used these websites and can select the best based on experience?   If you agree or disagree with my selections I welcome your feedback.

Diners: What websites have YOU used to browse restaurant reviews, make reservations, or find restaurant coupons & gift certificates?