Americans love dining out, but it can be a huge expense for families these days.
The good news is that there are still ways to lower the bill without sacrificing the experience.
Destiny Combs and Elizabeth Saylor are going out less these days as restaurant prices continue to climb.
"I just try not to eat out that much," Combs said.
When they do dine out, they're ordering less than before.
"We used to go for appetizer, meal, and dessert, and but now it's like we're not going to order that every time," Saylor said.
Watch as diners, restaurant owners and savings experts share tips for saving on dining out:
Restaurants try to help with specials, cheaper menu items
This is dining out in 2025, where both customers and restaurant managers are trying to keep costs down.
"We did make a lot of changes to keep the menu more affordable," said Chris Breeden, who manages Arnold's Bar and Grill.
He says if prices get too high, diners stay home.
So his hundred-year-old restaurant has been adding specials and removing some of the priciest items this year to help customers manage costs.
"We don't do the New York Strip anymore," Breeden said.
Other restaurants, especially national chains, are adding more specials and early-bird deals to bring in customers.
What you can do
Sean Pyles, host and producer of NerdWallet's Smart Money podcast, says saving on dining out starts before you sit down at the table.
"Money management is often an exercise in self-control and making it easy for yourself to follow your own rules. This starts with having the right intentions," Pyles said.
He suggests thinking about what you'd prefer to spend money on and skipping what you don't.
"I might have two appetizers when I'm going out to eat, but I might skip the cocktail if it doesn't sound good to me that night," Pyles said.
Pyles also suggests viewing the menu on the restaurant's website ahead of time so you understand the cost, but also think about managing your budget in a different way.
"It can be helpful to budget by events and not specific dollar amounts. So you might say to yourself that I'm only going to go out to eat three times per month or one time a week, instead of saying, oh, I'm only going to spend $100 out to eat this month,'" Pyles said.
When it comes to cost-cutting measures, he recommends joining restaurant loyalty programs, newsletters or finding coupons or discounted gift cards.
For families, he suggests going to restaurants where kids can eat free or considering sharing a meal.
Pyles also recommends avoiding the traditional, pricey, prix fixe holiday dining experience.
"Brunch is the big thing for Mother's Day. We decided to go in a completely different direction and went out to a really nice ramen restaurant in town," Pyles said.
Brandon Roth, a savvy diner, agrees that planning ahead is key.
"You can look ahead at menu prices so you are not shocked by the sticker price," Roth said.
And that way you don't waste your money.
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