My experience eating out @ IHOP

[Kansas1960]

I treated our family to a meal cooked away from home tonight. We needed a break from cooking and this hit the spot. There were only 4 of us eating so I sent one kid to Little Caesers for a 5.00 pizza and the wife and I drove to Arbys for 5 for 5.95. We go home and shared it all and it was plenty. Total bill was $11.40 with tax and all were full, but not stuffed. This was nice break from cooking and the first fast food for months. Really fast food is not too bad if it is just a few times a year. Tomorrow we are making chili with the 2 pounds of hamburger purchased for 2.74 and 2 cans of chili beans (.39 per can). I might make a cornbread with .30 mix and have a coke which I purchased for .69 a 2 liter. I am really loving the cheap eating. We used to drop 50 to 60 regularly at Chilis, Red Lobster, Olive Garden and Applebees but do not do that anymore. If I do go out to eat it will be with a coupon from the Entertainment Book using a buy one get one free deal.

[NHC]

Tomorrow we are making chili with the 2 pounds of hamburger purchased for 2.74 and 2 cans of chili beans (.39 per can).

Oh..you just reminded me of my Chili Recipe

1 lb Ground beef...browned with 1 lb of italian sausage.....add 2 cups chopped Celery, a whole yellow onion (chopped and browned with the meat)....2 cans of pinto beans....and a can of V8 jouice. I'll ussually add some garlic, black pepper, salt, parsley and or course chilli pepper to tast....let it all simmer for about an hour and serve with Oyster crackers and shredded cheddar cheese....the V8 makes all the difference.

Next week I can share my Coke can chicken recipe....mmmmmm.....

[Blueboy]

We don't eat out much either anymore. I think the last splurge was we went to Five Guys Burgers for hubby's birthday. We each had a burger, shared fries and the kids shared a burger, 2 cokes, and I think it was $30. I had a hard time swallowing my food after I saw $30 gone for burgers. Ugh.

I take the kids once a week to Burger King as a treat. But I order them each $1 chicken nuggets and they share $1 fries. I usually get something off the $1 menu too. No sodas. We bring it home and have a carpet picnic. They are still toddlers and don't know about "happy meals" so I can get out of there with $4-5 for all three of us.

Aren't those great!

[lovebirds]

Ya'll should really support local restaurants when you eat out.

IHOP has always been a disappointment when I dine at it.

[momisery]

We buy one meal and share it if we go out. I don't eat a lot, and as long as I have a salad and wheat or mutli grain bread I am happy! Still, it is expensive.. and we order water to drink. Burger King is our in a pinch at lunch, we order the large onion rings and the 1.00 burgers and split a 1.00 drink. I eat a burger, but hubby needs the rings and the burger for his manly figure.. lol We cut out coupons too in the paper and sign up for email deals. We also started buying rock cornish hens and we share one with a salad and veggie. We make them on the grill with lime juice and hot sauce, wow what a great taste. Even a hot dog tastes much better on the grill.

[JEM]

We had a GC for Chili's (and I normally LOVE Chili's) and decided to use it this past weekend because we were out all day on Sunday and I didn't feel like cooking. We called for curb side pick up and ordered fajitas for two.

When we got home I was soooo disappointed. First of all, the "toppings" for the fajitas were in these TINY TINY thimble sized containers. And the chicken and beef.....Ha! Hardly any of that either.

I ended up feeling like I "wasted" my GC.