Restaurants have been uniquely affected by the outbreak, especially meal services in their dining rooms or keeping seating in their restaurant. And although some areas of the country are cautiously reopening dining rooms and limiting seating, the huge change of shifting to takeout and delivery will be crucial for surviving.. If you are able, ordering food from local restaurants is one of the best ways you can help support small businesses during this difficult time. Fortunately, there are ways you can save money on food delivery and takeout while still supporting your favourite local businesses.
- Opt for Restaurants Where Delivery is Free
When researching restaurants, you can typically avoid paying a small delivery fee for your food. While most takeout restaurants will charge a nominal delivery fee to bring food to your home, you can always scan their site for a different option. Many restaurant chains have lowered delivery fees as well recently. A few have eliminated delivery fees from their site, bringing you food to your home for no delivery price other than just your meal, piping hot, in the comforts of your home.
- Watch for Coupons and Discounts
No matter what type of cuisine or food you want to order on the food ordering apps, the first thing to check is if there is a coupon or a promo code. A lot of these online ordering and local takeaway delivery options put a lot of promo codes and discounts online for their customers to take advantage of. If you use the website often and order food regularly, the website may offer a special coupon to use when you search for the best restaurants near you. So always check on Google for promo codes or coupons if they are available for the restaurant you are ordering from. You can also follow food ordering apps on their social media for updates about their discounts and special promotions.
- Think About Signing Up for a Subscription
Do you frequently purchase food online? If you are a consistent food delivery person or online takeaway, you can save considerable amounts of money on delivery subscriptions. Delivery subscriptions provide some serious bang for your buck and help open up more discounts and money savings in addition to the lower food delivery fee. A lot of food ordering apps offer low-cost delivery subscriptions. You can pay just a small fraction of your food budget for the delivery subscription from your favourite food ordering service, and enjoy multiple savings. You will save even more money with reduced delivery fees, reduced service fees, and a lot of other benefits, you may find yourself saving a lot of money over time.
- Plan Orders Strategically
Taking time to think while you make an order will help you save money:
- Combining Orders: If you’re ordering for multiple people, combine all the meals into a single order, rather than a separate order for each person. This will help avoid multiple delivery costs.
- Check weekday deals: Weekday deals are becoming more common on food apps to offer discounts during typically slower times and bring in more orders. Make sure you check these deals before you place your order.
- Avoid peak times: If you order during peak periods such as lunch or dinner, there is a chance that the app will charge you an extra cost. Consider placing your order a little earlier or a little later to avoid the extra cost!
- Compare Before Ordering
Even the cost of the same restaurant differs from each other depending on the app you use.
- Compare Prices: Before you order from any particular app, ensure to compare the prices of the same restaurant on Schrood or Uber Eats to get the cheapest offer you find.
- Order Straight from the Restaurant: Most times, restaurants will charge you a cheaper price or completely waive delivery costs if you order directly from their website/app. Make sure to check back and see if this option is available before ordering.
- Avoid Impulse Orders
Control your appetite and money with these easy tips:
- Have a meal plan – A little planning can help manage “hunger pangs” and keep you from spending money on unplanned food orders.
- Try using grocery apps – Why not try using grocery or ready-to-cook meal apps? It will also be cheaper than ordering food, and you get to cook at home.
- Track Spending
Since it is easy to forget how much we spend using food deliveries, here’s how to keep track of it:
- Use budgeting apps to track how much you’re spending. Create a food spending section so you can see how much you are spending on food alone.
- Set a monthly spending limit for online food orders for yourself. This will help limit the amount you are going to spend!
Conclusion
It’s easier than you think to save money on online food orders—especially if you take advantage of discounts, promo codes, and ordering tips. Follow these tips to eat your favourite meals without breaking the bank. Always compare pricing, plan your order wisely, and watch for the flavour of the month on sites. With some planning and a little work, you will be able to save some money and enjoy the convenience of online food delivery.
