Turn Your Credit Crunch Into Lunch, says Toptable.com

As the credit crunch tightens its grip, restauteurs are employing a host of new tricks to entice customers into their restaurants, says online restaurant booking website toptable.com (www.toptable.com).

(PRWEB) May 10, 2008 -- toptable (http://www.toptable.com) reports a 100 per cent increase in the number of restaurant special offers advertised on their site, including huge discounts such as 50 per cent off, discounted set price menus, free cocktails, bottles of wine and all-inclusive tasting menus.

A recent survey of toptable (http://www.toptable.com) users has revealed 34 per cent of their users are dining out less as a result of the credit crunch. However, while many restaurants suffer a downturn, toptable reports a 60 per cent growth as diners turn to them for more affordable dining.

There are currently around 800 special offers running on toptable. Half price food discounts are the most popular, followed by smaller discounts off the total bill, including wine and other drinks.

toptable has compiled a list of top tips to help consumers turn their credit crunch into lunch in the face of financial doom and gloom.

Lunch

Many restaurants, including Michelin-starred venues, offer great value set lunch menus. They simply create a menu from better value ingredients. These menus can often work out cheaper than dining in a gastropub.

Eat off-peak

Many restaurants offer incredibly cheap early-doors menus for in-and-out theatre goers. Diners should take advantage of these pre and post theatre menus even if they're not attending a show.

Wine

Many restaurants include a glass of wine in the price of a set lunch or dinner menu. However, if you do buy a bottle of wine, exchange rates dictate that wines from Euro countries have increased in price recently. Bargain hungers should opt for wines from dollar-based countries such as California and Chile, which have become increasingly good value.

Go abroad

Michelin-star dining in Europe can cost much less than in the UK. Diners should consider heading for nearby European dining centres such as Lille, Paris or Brussels on a day trip. Booking an international special offer through toptable often means there are no hidden costs such as coffee, water and wine.

Top reward points

Book and review restaurants through toptable and earn reward points. Diners can then enjoy free meals at participating restaurants around the country.

About toptable (http://www.toptable.com)

toptable (http://www.toptable.com) is the largest online restaurant booker in Europe whose eminent shareholders include legendary football manager Sir Alex Ferguson and celebrity chef Gary Rhodes.

This year toptable will seat 3 million diners across thousands of restaurants across London, the UK and Europe's most exciting cities, bringing £86 million to the restaurant industry.

toptable (http://www.toptable.com) has been named as one of the UK's fastest growing digital media companies in the Media Momentum Awards for four consecutive years.

For more information please contact:

Editor

Michelle Smith

press(at)toptable.co.uk

020 7299 9042

0777 9644510

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