London has recently been elected as the third most expensive city in the world. In a recent study carried out by Investopedia, the average cost of living in London has peaked to around $2000 p/month and has also led to a variety of other conclusions, such as the fact that, in order to raise a child to adulthood, the average amount required is fluctuating around $350.000. With this in mind, when possible, saving money in London is a must, let’s see how to do it when dining out.
Tip Number One: Location Is Everything
Like many other capitals in the world, prices are all depending on where the restaurant you want to visit is located. For example, a fancy restaurant in the proper city centre would result in a pretty heavy bill. Areas like Soho, though, although being in a central location, have a wide variety of restaurants available, with a subsequent wide variety of prices to choose from
Tip Number Two: Book Online
If you’re going out for a meal with your mates or with your girlfriend/boyfriend, booking online will save you some money, given the fact that many restaurants are applying a strict “overbooking fee” policy. With this in mind, you’ll easily understand why booking in advance, especially online, could save you time and, most importantly, money.
Tip Number Three: Table Sharing
A common Practice in London nowadays is related to sharing tables when dining out, as this very practice could save a little bit of money when booking. Social eating apps like the Dines app, which offers a lot of restaurant deals, in fact, have become quite popular in London and, given the fact that prices are still visibly rising, they will become even more popular in the near future.
Tip Number Four: Avoid Fancy Restaurants (duh!?)
Fancy restaurants in London aren’t just the ones which are listed onto the Michelin catalogue but, most of the times, are the ones which have an “Instagrammable setup”. The non-written rule which states how “flashy restaurants are expensive” is still quite true, in fact.