Budget Eating Out - Best Restaurants for Leftovers!

[thebeesknees]

Noodles and Company - their portions are HUGE! DH and I could share, but he likes his stuff super spicy, and I don't, so we just order our own thing and then have enough left over for one more meal for each of us. We usually order 1 adult entree for our 3 kids to share, and still have leftovers for them, too.

 

[mjkacmom]

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.

We rarely eat at or get food from chains, but we have a Chipolte 5 minutes away, so decided to give it a shot. I asked for a burrito with cheese, meat, beans, fajita toppings, sour cream, and salsa, and OMG - for about $7, I had 2 huge meals!

 

[NYEmomma]

We rarely eat at or get food from chains, but we have a Chipolte 5 minutes away, so decided to give it a shot. I asked for a burrito with cheese, meat, beans, fajita toppings, sour cream, and salsa, and OMG - for about $7, I had 2 huge meals!

I should have said that I usually get the burrito bowl. I love the burrito wrapping but it's easier to heat up the bowl. I just take the top layer with the salsa, cheese & guac off and microwave the rest.

(though fine, I admit, now that I'm pregnant I get a burrito and pound that sucker in under 10 minutes... and could go back for more. )

 

[Lauralooneyfordisney]

How about TGIF. We have one of their reward cards too so every time we eat there we get points to use later. We get tons of food which is usually 2 meals worth plus after about 3 times of just the 2 of us eating there we have enough points for a free dinner to use next time. I just used points last week for a free chicken entree worth $13 and it was enough for 2 meals and was free. Got to love that! Also become a club member to all your favorite restaurants online and you get all kinds of coupons sent to you by e-mail. I get at least a couple every month from one of them. Most places will send you e-mails for free stuff for your birthday.

 

[sdchickie]

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

I always order a second salad to go when I order my meal, then I cut up my remaining steak and put it on my to go salad. Easy lunch the next day. My local Outback also gives me a loaf of bread and a side of butter in my to go bag.

 

[Swimalie]

Qdoba is a good one. I get the Mexican Gumbo and always get 2 or more meals out of it. Actually, unless it's a sandwich, I get 2 meals out of almost every place we go. I don't eat much at meals (I eat 5 smaller meals instead). Our local Chinese place is great for leftovers. If you do take-out they give you larger portions and I can always get 3 meals out of a $10 entree.

 

[Peri]

My Big Fat Greek Restaurant - a chain- and I am a BIG eater, yet have gotten a huge meal and two meals at home out of them! Huge portions, and tasty, too!



Currently, I see they are only in AZ, CO, and NM, but coming to CA and NV, so not too close to many WDW afficionados!

 

[dgr1973]

Cheesecake Factory- their portions are huge!

I was going to suggest that too since it's my absolute favorite place. Their prices are a little on the higher side but so much food and soooo good!

 

[maleficentmom]

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.

Same here...they have sliders with bottomless fries and the salad bar..take the meal home and make a meal on the bar....I have heard of folks doing this at pretty much anywhere they have a salad bar(Ponderosa type places,etc)...

 

[AnninIowa]

I am jealous of all the restaurant options so many of you have!!!

 

[Cindy B]

I am jealous of all the restaurant options so many of you have!!!

So what is near you?

I will say Maggiano's and Cheesecake Factory are known for thier HUGE portions. That Maggiano's take home deal is fantastic.

I know a totally different class of restaurant-- but do you have a Don Pablos or On the Border? They have huge portions.

Carraba's has decent portions as well.

 

[AnninIowa]

The national chain sit-down restaurants we have here are: Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, Lone Star Steakhouse, Famous Dave's, Carlos O' Kelley's, and Applebee's. Not too big of a selection!

 

[sunshine1178]

The national chain sit-down restaurants we have here are: Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, Lone Star Steakhouse, Famous Dave's, Carlos O' Kelley's, and Applebee's. Not too big of a selection!

Are you in eastern Iowa? The Iowa Machine Shed used to have huge portions. Also, the Reuben at the Belgian Village in Moline, IL.

 

[Cindy B]

The national chain sit-down restaurants we have here are: Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, Lone Star Steakhouse, Famous Dave's, Carlos O' Kelley's, and Applebee's. Not too big of a selection!

Not that great of a selection. I"m not a fan of Olive Garden and Red Lobster so I can't comment there.

I do have a Famous Dave's near me, but the food only seems so so to me.
We have a close Applebee's but that is only ok as well.

Do you have a bigger city close by? We are in restaurant city (I think we have 100's just in my smaller city alone- I can walk to about 5-7 restuarants within a block) plus we have Philadelphia-fantastic food- only about 10 minutes away

If you are ever near a Houlihan's, they are worth a try. Pei Wei (sister of more expensive PF Changs) has HUGE portions as well.

 

[clutter]

Pei Wei (sister of more expensive PF Changs) has HUGE portions as well.

I LOVE that Pei Wei now has a smaller serving size with an appetizer (love the spring roll!) for just $6.25! However, dd14 complains because that means she doesn't get the half that I don't eat. Yep, she can down 1 1/2 dinners from there. (5'9", maybe 110 pounds. No fair.)

Anyway, with that bottomless pit, we don't get much in the way of leftovers. With luck, we feed her and have a snack for her the next day. Usually works with cheesecake factory, but they are rather expensive. However, in the DC area, we have a local kabob chain called Moby Dick.