Budget Eating Out - Best Restaurants for Leftovers!

[AnninIowa]

We have cut back a lot on eating out, not only to save money but to eat healthier. However, we still like to indulge and eat out once a week. We have been trying to stick to places where the servings are so big that we are guaranteed to take home leftovers. Getting 2 meals out of 1 makes me feel better about the cost.

Would love to hear if other people do this; and if so, which restaurants do you like? Our house is just me and my dad, so maybe it works better for us since we don't have kids to feed, too.

Here's our list:

Texas Roadhouse
Olive Garden (coupons are in the paper a lot)
Red Lobster (again, coupons are usually in the paper)
local Italian restaurant
pizza

 

[okeydokey]

Italian restaurants are always a good bet. At Macaroni Grill and Carabbas we always take home leftovers.

Also, your local chinese restautant. The 4 of us usually order 3 entrees and maybe eggrolls and there are still leftovers.

 

[elgerber]

Applebees 2 for $20 menu is a ton of food for $20. We get buffalo wings and the chicken cheese penne. We eat the wings and take home probably 2/3 of the pasta each, and we are stuffed!

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

do you have a Maggianos close ?

They are forever doing a buy 1 take 1 home free.

It's 12.95 per pasta, but you get 2 huge servings.

You'll have leftovers from your first serving and then you get to pick another for free to take home.

YUM

 

[GSUJillybean]

do you have a Maggianos close ?

They are forever doing a buy 1 take 1 home free.

It's 12.95 per pasta, but you get 2 huge servings.

You'll have leftovers from your first serving and then you get to pick another for free to take home.

YUM

I was just going to suggest this.

 

[JerseyTink]

Any diner in New Jersey. They all give a ton of food for a great price.

 

[LJSquishy]

My husband and I always eat at Red Lobster. We were just there last night, in fact, and had our leftovers for lunch today!

We always get the Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp entrees which are around $15 and we each can only eat half of our meal because you get the cheddar biscuits, a salad, and one side.

Right now they have a 4-course meal for $15 which includes, soup, salad, entree, and dessert. The entree choices are full-sized (not like Applebee's where they shrink the portions, or at least they used to) and our favorite coconut shrimp are one of the choices!

 

[Sagginit]

i think it depends on the dish. i always get leftovers at olive garden b/c i love the salad and eat two bowls.

ruby tuesday if i get an entree i usually dont have leftovers but if i get the grilled chicken salad with a side i take half the salad home b/c its huge.

i used to always get leftovers at outback but find the portions are smaller now.

pf changs is another one for me. i get two small dishes or one large and can never finish. if i do finish its b/c i split it with someone. they also have a frequent diner card if you go there, sometimes you will get free app offers or discounts for doing take out (typical is 20% off on like superbowl sunday or something).

 

[AnninIowa]

do you have a Maggianos close ?

They are forever doing a buy 1 take 1 home free.

It's 12.95 per pasta, but you get 2 huge servings.

You'll have leftovers from your first serving and then you get to pick another for free to take home.

YUM

No, we don't have one of these. Sounds good, though!

 

[AnninIowa]

I should also say Subway, for me at least (my dad doesn't like sandwiches ). I can get a foot-long sub and eat for 2 days!

 

[disneybound31]

Shoney's is great for this-- the only entree they have that I like is their spaghetti with mushrooms-comes with garlic toast....but it also comes with unlimited soup, salad and veggie bar. So I get this (plus the meal is around $7 and the food bar with meat is around $12, so already a savings since I rarely would eat the meat on a buffet) and just eat soup, a plate of salad and veggies/fruit and that is way plenty. I box up the whole spag and bread and have lunch for the next 2 days or one dinner.

This is a really good deal if you like other entrees on their menu, this is just the only one I have ever enjoyed...we are not usually big Shoney's people- it is kindof a rough establishment in our area. Some are really nice, but not ours.

 

[wishesuponastar]

Famous Daves

 

[amandaC]

Cheesecake Factory- their portions are huge!

 

[aprhj]

Red Robin is a good one for me. Burgers and unlimited fries average around $10. I eat half the burger and my fries and then I request another order of fries so I take home the same amount as I had for dinner. The fries are the steak fries so the warm up ok in the microwave but if I'm working from home I put them in the oven and they are almost as good as when at RR.

 

[tluvstink]

I love restaurant leftovers and a few of my favorites have been mentioned. I always have leftovers when we have Japanese from our local hibachi grill:goodvibe

Terri

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Outback Steakhouse. After eating my salad, I can cut my steak in half and take it home for the next day.

 

[ShesAPirate]

I second The Cheesecake Factory. I always get at least 2 meals out of my entree. Usually 3! And the food is so yummy!

 

[Sadie22]

Outback Steakhouse. After eating my salad, I can cut my steak in half and take it home for the next day.

I'm with you!

 

[neatokimmo]

At Ruby Tuesdays there are several options where adding the salad bar to a meal is just a dollar or two more than the salad bar alone. I eat off the salad bar and take that entire meal home.

 

[NYEmomma]

Chipotle.

I get the burrito bowl + chips & salsa and can take home half of the bowl for the next day. I always have some chips & salsa at home as well so I get the same-sized meal for the 2nd day that I did for the first.