Going Out to Eat as a Family (On a Budget)

By Painter Mommy on March 30, 2011

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It has to be something super special for us to go out to eat as a family. Dragging 4 small children to a restaurant is not always an easy process, not to mention the price. We are happy with our weekly chinese food take-out or every so often a pizza but that’s about it.

Every once in a while we will eat out at Olive Garden but even there can be costly if each of us gets a drink and a meal. But we found that it is really not necessary to buy 6 meals for the 6 of us. Instead we found a way that we can all eat till we are totally full and still only spend around $35 (including the tip)

How, you ask?

Well, we don’t get meals, instead we get the unlimited soup salad and breadsticks for my husband and I, and we get one child’s meal of chicken fingers and fries for the kids to split. Believe it or not, it is PLENTY. Another tip is to bring your own drinks for the kids – juice boxes work well.

It was my husband’s birthday last weekend and we took him to Olive Garden and we ate till we were stuffed. The soup, salad, and breadsticks were awesome! And you can keep getting more because it is unlimited. The kids share with us and they wind up being stuffed too.

And I was so proud of my kiddies. They were so well behaved. They played with their crayons and colored while we waited to be served – which doesn’t take long at all because the only thing that needs to be cooked is the chicken fingers and fries. But by the time we are waiting for that, my kids fill up on salad and breadsticks. They sat so nicely, they were quiet. This mama was in her glory!

The soup worked out great too because I cut up the little dumplings and chicken and fed it to the baby – he loved it! And the best part about eating out is that I don’t have to clean up! Yay!

One thing that makes me nervous though about our “eating out on a budget” is the fact that some waiters / waitresses look down on us because we are not getting the usual meals and spending a lot. I think they think they are getting a bad tip. But I try to tell them ahead of time that we will still tip well.

One time we got a really nice waitress who was also a mom and actually understood our situation and she was so kind to give all the kids free drinks and she didn’t charge us for one of the soup, salad, and breadstick orders. We gave her a REALLY nice tip.

So, that is how we do it. We do our best to save money, but we know that it is also nice to treat ourselves every once in a while. And it is possible to feed a large family with just a little bit of money.

How about you? Do you splurge and go out to eat with your family? Are you on a budget? Do you have ideas that you can share? Please comment!

10 responses to “Going Out to Eat as a Family (On a Budget)”

Janel
March 30, 2011 at 7:13 pm | Permalink

Hi Dawn,
I was worried about you…it’s been so long since you did a post or a video. How is you mom feeling?

My husband and I also love the unlimited soup and salad at Olive Garden My budget days are behind me (my kids are 24, 22 and 11). Most of the time it’s just our daughter with us…the boys are working or with their friends, you know that age

I have to say, when the kids were young, we didn’t go out to eat much either…pizza maybe. It was too expensive for us to go out with the three kids…I don’t think they had the soup and salad thing back then.

I think that going to Olive Garden is great the way you did it. They won’t be young forever, but when they are older, it will probably cost you more…you can’t win

Glad you’re back…hope all is well!
Janel in NJ

[Reply]
Painter Mommy Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 3:46 am
Twitter: PainterMommy
Hi Janel! Yeah, it has been a crazy few months. I have hardly had time to do anything. My blog fell to the way side for a while. I missed it so much. I love writing.

My mom is doing MUCH better. Thanks so much for asking. She comes home today (back to her home in NJ). She is eager to get back to reality after a long recovery.

And yes, I agree about the cost going up when the kids get older. I have 3 boys and a girl and I know they will want to eat me out of house and home eventually. LOL Hopefully we will be better situated financially at that time.

But thanks so much for taking the time to comment Janel. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week!

DAWN

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Terra Webster
March 30, 2011 at 8:06 pm | Permalink

You are awesome, and I look up to you for being able to take 4 kiddos out to dinner. I am not brave enough to do it here in America yet. We did it in Thailand, but kids in Thailand could run around in the restaurant, and because they were blond and blue eyed, they were adored!!! In America I would have a hard time taking them out because I would fear what other people would think!

[Reply]
Painter Mommy Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 3:43 am
Twitter: PainterMommy
Awe, thanks so much Terra. Yeah, my kids get pretty shy in public, so it works out good. And because we don’t go out to eat very much, they seem to be more well behaved. But I wonder if that will change – especially with Jaden – who is naturally very rambunctious.

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Betty
March 30, 2011 at 8:10 pm | Permalink

I loved the restaurants that advertised one free child’s meal for each adult meal purchased.
Personally we had the worst time with salad bar setups in the local area when the kids were small. The minimal charge of a ‘small salad’ instead of the full salad bar charge would be used for kids sharing off a parent’s plate. The waitress might be sympathetic but they could lose their jobs if they didn’t write up the bills showing charges for each person eating at the table. Which brings me around to why I really liked the ones that tell you up front the kids are free rather than surprising you with sharing charges
It will be interested to hear if others have had ‘sharing charges’ added to their tab.

[Reply]
Painter Mommy Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 3:41 am
Twitter: PainterMommy
What is cool about Olive Garden is that it isn’t a salad bar type situation. They actually bring the soup and salad right to the table. My kids don’t eat much of the soup and salad – their thing is the breadsticks which can be shared. And the kids split the chicken fingers and fries. But yes, I totally understand about charging a “sharing” rate in some restaurants. I am just glad that Olive Garden doesn’t do that (yet). LOL

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Betty
March 31, 2011 at 4:58 am | Permalink

We took the kids to Chinese restaurants when they were younger. Since you already get chinese takeout, the food is familiar and evidently liked by the family. For the cost of drinks, you get the eating out experience. Hot tea often comes free
And don’t overlook the cost savings of getting your kids in the habit of drinking water when eating out.

[Reply]
Painter Mommy Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 2:43 pm
Twitter: PainterMommy
Love the idea of drinking water!

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Teresha@ Marlie and Me
March 31, 2011 at 7:54 am | Permalink

Twitter: Mommy2Marlie
These are great tips! Restaurants do serve extra large portions. Me and my hubby would share a plate to save money when we just got married, then some restaurants started charging a fee for splitting a meal!
I am happy to see you blogging again!
Teresha@ Marlie and Me´s last [type] ..Things Im Loving This Thursday

[Reply]
Painter Mommy Reply:
April 4th, 2011 at 10:36 am
Twitter: PainterMommy
Thanks so much Teresha for taking the time to comment. I sure hope that Olive Garden doesn’t start charging us for “splitting”. But at least it is a good thing for us now and we are able to go out to eat as a family here and there. Hope you have a great day!

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