Eating Out on the Cheap Without Looking Cheap

Barbara Pachter
Pachter & Associates

Business and personal budgets have been cut to the bone by this
recession -- but we still may need to take clients out for
a meal or treat out-of-town guests to dinner.

Solution: Limit the cost of eating out while still seeming
as munificent as ever. Here's how... 

Choose restaurants that seem pricier than they are. You
don't have to bring guests to the most expensive restaurant
in town -- just avoid eateries that look cheap. When we
entertain, the visual impression offered by the dining room
can be as important as the quality of the food. The
wait staff must be professionally dressed -- no jeans or
fast-food�type uniforms... the tables must have
tablecloths... the room must seem clean and fresh... and
there should not be a TV.

Be ready to explain why you chose this restaurant over
better-known alternatives. Two options...   

Eat at the restaurant before inviting important guests,
then provide a personal endorsement.

Example: "It's one of those great places that only locals
know about."

Cite a glowing review. Search the online archives of your
local newspapers... or search the name of the restaurant
and town on Google.com to find reviews.

Example: "The Tribune gave this place a great review. I've
been meaning to give it a try."

Recommend dishes in the midprice range. You can't tell
your guests what to order, but you can provide a rave
review of an entr�e that isn't too expensive.

Example: "I always come here for the chicken marsala. It's
the best thing on the menu." 

Use a little wine research to trim a lot from the bill.
Restaurants usually offer some perfectly nice wines for
less than $25 a bottle. Trouble is, selecting one of these
less expensive wines could make you appear cheap.

Solution: Skim the restaurant's wine list prior to your
important dinner, and jot down a few of the more affordable
bottles. (The wine list might be available on the
restaurant's Web site. If not, visit the restaurant in
person and ask to see it.) Look these up in a wine guide,
such as Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide (Simon & Schuster) or
Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book (Mitchell Beazley). Note
two or three wines of different varieties from the list
that earn favorable reviews. At your dinner, use these
ratings to validate your inexpensive choice in the eyes of
your guests.
Example: "Robert Parker gave this wine 91 points. Let's
give it a try."

Preorder dinner for large groups. Ask to speak with the
restaurant's manager when you call to make a reservation
for a group of 10 or more.