This post is sponsored by Groupon. All thoughts and opinions belong to Drugstore Divas.
I always joke and say I should have been born Mexican or Italian because I love their food. Instead, I’m Japanese and Polish. And although I do like pierogies, I don’t eat fish. At all. So growing up around Japanese food just wasn’t my tastebuds’ ideal.
Luckily, Pete is Italian so he can cook me amazing dishes all the time. But Mexican, oh, it’s just lost on me. Even if I skip the boxed taco shells, even if I make mine from scratch with corn meal, it’s not the same as an authentic Mexican restaurant. (Then again, I do use a recipe given to me by my half-Asian mother.) When Pete and I go out to eat, I gravitate towards Mexican. But when I’m there, I want to eat it all. I want guacamole and salsa, I definitely want flautas, and I would love to have a choriso quesadilla too. Even though Pete always offers to get my second choice as his entree so I can have everything I want, ordering so much food can add up.
That’s why you need to check out Groupon before you go out to eat.
Let’s say you’re like me and you like Mexican food. And let’s say you’re local to me, so you want to head to Raleigh for the day — to head to the farmer’s market, to take in the art museum, and then a nice dinner before heading back to Wilmington. So you check Groupon and see San Jose Mexican Restaurant. That page will bring up the address, phone number, reviews, and a deal. Right now, you can purchase a $10 voucher for the restaurant for only $6. You’re saving $4 on your total — which means you can indulge and have that margarita.
In the mood for Italian? There’s Capri. Of 589 customers, 89% would recommend this place. The reviews seem to only go back about 24 days, which means that this restaurant had quickly found itself on Groupon user’s radar. Maybe it’s because you can currently get a $20 voucher for $11 or $20 for a $40 voucher. How do you get it? Easy. You click the box that says the restaurant’s name (under where it says “Deals (1)”) and you will be brought to the familiar looking Groupon deals page.
What if you are browsing and find a restaurant you like, like Lemongrass Thai Restaurant, but there’s no deal? That’s a shame, really, because the food looks amazing and 98% of people would recommend this place (and my favorite local Thai place recently closed its doors). There’s actually a “request a deal” button. If the restaurant gets buzz that it’s being sought out on Groupon, it may create a new deal (and you, dear requester, will be one of the first notified).
If you’re not local to me, or not planning a trip to Raleigh anytime soon, don’t worry. Just find a restaurant in your area. Use the search bar at the top of Groupon’s main page to enter your zip code. Then, on the left side, under local, click “Food & Drink.” You’ll see all the deals in your area.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to buy a voucher for Check Six Brewery Company in Southport. Pete has really been wanting to head down and try the new brewery. Right now, for $30 we can get a beer package for two. It’s a $44 value that includes two flights of beer, one growler with one fill, and two souvenir pint glasses. Sounds like I’m going to surprise him with a date night. Beer for him, savings for me. Everyone wins.