Eating Out

 I am probably the worst person to ask about eating out generally but we just got back from a big trip where we ate out every day so clearly I am now the expert. Here are a few epiphanies I have had whilst traveling in the UK.

• get the app for whatever restaurants you may end up needing to eat at - sometimes they come with some money off vouchers for the first use!
• research to see if it behooves you to go on a birthday and get something free! And plan your life around eating out, obviously.
• Snag the 'early bird' deals for dinner. If you order before 5 pm, you can often order off the lunch menu which can save you as much as 50% per person!
• sometimes if you are booking a hotel with an attached restaurant they have deals to save you money! And not just on breakfast - sometimes you can get a free dinner thrown in!
• if you walk into most supermarkets they have 'lunch saver' deals for sandwiches, juice and a bag of crisps which is cheaper than eating out at most places - or even better, buy a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter and do it yourself on some park bench!
• taking food away is cheaper than eating in the shop normally - tell them at the till which you plan to do
• When you need it, you need it. Sometimes we have been forced to buy a coffee to be able to use a toilet or wifi.
• church cafes often have reasonable prices and you can admire the inside of an old church. The food is not kid friendly usually - lasagnas and salads and sandwiches with all sorts of vegetables inside generally - so research on the internet ahead of time! Try to find one with a soft play or kid zone, and then buy the kids icecream later from a street vendor (lol we are such good parents).
• combine travel experiences with eating - we have signed up for Scottish banquets which included entertainment like a bagpiper and highland dancer more for the experience than the fine cuisine.
• pack zip lock bags and squirrel away any uneaten food from a meal for a later snack - one of my favorite professors in college taught me that one! You may be incredibly thankful for that bit of toast or that half eaten roll later! 
• beware the Here Be Dragons zones of the UK. Everyone knows the islands of Scotland are beautiful - but what they don't realize is that most of the islands have only one restaurant. This restaurant has a monopoly so they charge a fortune for their bad service and tepid, poor-quality food, so plan accordingly! The more remote you go, the fewer options for food you'll have and the more they'll try to squeeze the handful of tourists who pass through.