Aibu to wish they would extend “eat out to help out”

[Mummypig2020]

Just that really.

🐷🐷🐷🐷

Phoned at least ten local places last week to try to get a table for this week (wouldn't normally eat out but it's a family members' birthday) and every single one was fully booked. I think it's a combination of limited seating due to distancing, and living in a tourist hot-spot. If it was extended until after the summer holidays I might get chance.

I used it earlier this evening and was asked if I had a Tastecard, which I do. I had no idea I could use both offers beforehand. What would have been a £36.36 bill came to £10.34!

YANBU. Its amazing. Going out for dinner tomorrow & cant wait 😋

It’s been really handy for us so far. We’re off for ten days, Suffolk and Norfolk, so will come in handy.
I’m a cheap date.

I'm loving it, I went to a lovely Indian restaurant last week which would normally be out of my price range and got a gorgeous tasting menu, dessert and mango lassi for £15. I've wanted to try the restaurant for a while but it was out of my normal price range.

I couldn't book anything for this week but have a Japanese meal booked for next week, again somewhere I could only visit very occasionally but it will be around £12 for a meal and pot of cherry green tea.

I think the government are doing it for August so they can shut pubs/cafes/restaurants down if they need to to ensure schools open next month, and they can say they have tried to support those businesses.

I’d like to take advantage of it but you can’t get a table anywhere near me!

This is small town central Scotland, I was with my DD, sister and niece. I then spent £30 in the small lingerie shop next door getting much needed new underwear and the other three went into town and spent more money.

I do!! Pay day isn't for another 2 weeks so I've totally had to miss out on it

As a cafe owner we do ,love it. It’s been a much needed boost after very tough times. Not sure about it being extended due to cost to country but it will have been a good help.

Not quite the same - but for those who have enjoyed eating out during the week - why not invest in a Taste Card? I have one and while it’s not as good as it used to be there are still plenty of 50% deals to be had.

@runningonemptyfulloflove

Me too! 😂🐷 I do wish it was just UK company's that offer it though, rather than big American chains and the likes.

The big American chains still employ British people

Big american chains also will pay taxes and are often a franchise ran by british people who they also employ
Plus its a choice people can make wether go to a chain or an independent
We ate out sat and restaurant was participating and said its been really popular and a boost , they were also fully booked the sat so hadnt had a knock on effect
The cynical me thinks it is too boost profits incase of local lockdowns etc so places maybe have a small cushion
But ive used it once , local independent pub lunch normally £6.99 instead £3.50 - bargain

I find it isn’t that cheap unless you stick to just a main and a glass of tap water! Yesterday’s Italian dinner cost me £30, one starter, a main and a small glass of wine

Exactly this. I went out with my friend to a Chinese restaurant last night and paid £31. Just had set meal, 1 glass of wine and a jasmine tea. It's not 50% off unless you have a meal for £20 or less and a glass of water, nothing more. So basically cheap chain restaurants, pubs and cafes. This is the 4th time I've been out now and although I've enjoyed myself I dont feel like I've had a bargain, especially when you factor in tips. Have spent a small fortune.

A local place to me does tapas Tuesdays, you get 3 tapas and a glass of wine for £10 normally. Obviously it’s £5 now and so bloody worth it 😂

We are going to an independent Italian on Monday, somewhere where we would never normally take the kids. And then a seafood restaurant we’ve wanted to try for ages on the Tuesday.

So basically cheap chain restaurants, pubs and cafes

Not true.

We have used it twice at our local, independent Italian. Their average price for a pizza/pasta dish is anything between £8 and £14. Pints of soft drink about £3. Desserts about £5.50. We ate out with the three kids - all of us eating adult portions - the bill would have been £106 but that came down to £56.

Another local restaurant which is Michelin listed (not starred though) does a two course lunch for £19.95. You'd get that half price too.

Even if it's not strictly 50% off it's still £10 a head which goes a long way even in a nice place.

I would usually have 3 courses for dinner anyway so I'm happy!

I'm not sure TBH. DS works in McDonalds and for their restaurant, last week saw the highest profit ever. I'm not really sure that's good use of taxpayer's money.

We've loved it! Trying all sorts of places we've never set foot in and we are lucky enough to have lots of places within a short distance on the scheme. Social distancing measures have been good too.

I'd love it if it was extended. Several months of preparing 2-3 meals a day for the family has been tedious so this is great. However, once it ends, we're unlikely to continue eating out as we won't be able to afford it - will be back to the odd meal out and fortnightly take away. Wonder what will happen to all of these places going into Winter.

Also, as a pp said, once we're out we visit other shops too so it boosts trade that way as well.

"Exactly this. I went out with my friend to a Chinese restaurant last night and paid £31. Just had set meal, 1 glass of wine and a jasmine tea. It's not 50% off unless you have a meal for £20 or less and a glass of water, nothing more."

That's crazy, I dont think they were registered on the govt scheme. Did you check that out? Its half price up to a tenner, so you should have got that, but not on the alcoholic drink. You should have got half price on your tea though as that's classed as a soft drink. There is no rule whatsoever saying youd meal has to be £20 or less,?! Either they were doing their own scheme, or theres been a mistake.

"So basically cheap chain restaurants, pubs and cafes."

Nope, not true. Anywhere can register as long as not take out. Did you go on the govt website to check they were registered?

"This is the 4th time I've been out now and although I've enjoyed myself I dont feel like I've had a bargain, especially when you factor in tips. Have spent a small fortune."

Oh dear I dont think you've understood that you have to check they are registered. Weve eaten out about 6 times, each time checked they were registered and got 50% off up to a tenner each. We worked out weve saved just over £100 so far.

Even if it's not strictly 50% off it's still £10 a head which goes a long way even in a nice place
Not if you're paying just for yourself it doesnt. The times I've been out I've just met friends so my share of the bill doesn't seem much different, my August has been quite extravagant because normally I wouldnt have eaten out so much. If you have a couple of drinks it swallows up the £10 or less you will get off a main. Obviously if you have a big family you will see a bigger difference. I'm out with dd and DH tonight so hopefully that will feel like more of a bargain.

Yanbu! I cant get booked anywhere, only managed to use it once so far! Eating out is my favourite thing!
Would love to see it extended to at least one more month!

No because my brother has a takeaway that is now making about £20 a night instead of around £500. He's already struggling after lockdown. People aren't going when they can get a cut price meal at the start of the week and they aren't going the rest of the week either as they have already eaten out,

@Lightsabre

Also, as a pp said, once we're out we visit other shops too so it boosts trade that way as well.

I'm pretty sure this is the real aim of the scheme. To get people out andin other shops, and confident starting to go to more indoor places generally. It makes me laugh the people who think they're helping the economy simply by eating a really cheap meal at a restaurant.