Restaurant coupons

Consider this my own non-scientific, primitive market research inquiry:

How do you decide where to eat out? Is it based on what you crave, followed by which coupons are in the Val Pak?

Favorite haunts regardless of coupons or similar restaurants costing less?

Try new places regularly? Only stick to reliable chains?

Multiple choices allowed on the poll- choose all that apply to you!

Thanks in advance for sharing!

 

While we try to try new restaurants, we usually stick with the ones we know. Trying new places is risky and at the prices they charge these days, an expensive risk.

 

We don't eat out much, but when we do we go to places we know and love, mostly American Flatbread. But when new places (like Blues Bros) get a good buzz we try them too, regardless of whether we have a coupon.

 

I wanted to add that receiving a coupon for a place, even if it's 50% off or buy one get one will not make me visit a restaurant. I'd have to want to go there anyway in which case the coupon would be a bonus!

 

good point!

 

It's a mixture for us...we visit our usual restaurants, and any new places that have good reviews or word of mouth from F&F, but we haven't tried anything new in the past 3 months or so.

Also, off-late we have started using the restaurant . com coupons at least 2 to 3 times a month...blame the economy! Most of the restaurants allow only one coupon per month, hence whenever there is a 80% sale I stock up on coupons for those restaurants that we like, and any other new one's worth trying! Hope this helps with your survey.

 

Fortunately many of our favorite places offer coupons!

 

this helps a LOT. thanks everyone for your input. i'm brainstorming ways to encourage more patronage to local faves and give excellent restaurants a fighting chance.

places like Cafe Rumi, American Flatbread, Anothai, Callaloo, Cafe Opera- all deemed excellent by more than several members of this forum, and on my website as well. But just a handful of us cannot save these and other great places that work hard for our business and can't afford expensive marketing.

so i am trying to find out what matters MOST to people right now and what would make more of us get out and dine!

sounds like a good coupon is a bonus for a KNOWN good place, referrals and recommendations help encourage trying someplace new. massive discounts encourage more frequent patronage of favorite haunts... hmmm.

After the holidays, I will be putting together regular Dining Deals and i want them to be JUST right- something that doesn't COST the restaurant too much but gives us a worthy incentive to use them to get out and dine! hopefully folks here will even coordinate times- just post- "heading to xxx tonight to use the Dining Deal!" and maybe we see new and familiar faces.

so my NEXT request- please post JUST the name of your favorite local Ashburn restaurant!

If you have more than one, like a fave Italian, fave American, fave Japanese, etc. please post each separately. no not just Broadlands- this is bigger than just our neighborhood.

 

Japanese Steakhouse: Nagoya

Chinese sit-down: Cafe Opera

Chinese take-out: China Taste

Pizza: Sals for take out, American Flatbread for eating in

Sushi: Tokyo

Meditteranean: Moby Dicks

Mexican: Tijuana Flats

American: Clyde's

Next two aren't in Ashburn but are noteworthy:

Buffet: Todai (in Fair Oaks Mall)

Romantic dinner: Melting Pot (in Reston)

 

Nagoya

 

keep 'em comin! LOVE it!!! thanks!

 

Rocco's (McLean)

 

American Flatbread

 

More to add: Anothai, Callaloo Cuisine, Bonefish, Mezza Grill

 

Mexican: Rio Grande Cafe (Reston). Closer to home would be Don Pablos. If we could get a good Tex-mex place in Ashburn we'd definitely go there.

Mexican fast food: Tijuana Flats

Asian sit down: Cafe Opera. We often have a coupon but would go anyway

Burgers: Fosters Grille. We often have a coupon but would go anyway

To watch the game: Village Grill (having a coupon is a big plus) - it's non-smoking!

Italian: Michelangelo's; We often have a coupon but would go anyway. If we do a chain then Carrabbas.

American: Logan's Roadhouse in Cascades. No coupons but good food.

Pizza: Sal's. The prices are reasonable even without a coupon. I like to support the Leesburg Cici's, too, since it's locally owned!

Something different: Callaloo. We never have a coupon but would like one since it's pricey.

Ice cream: Milwaukee Frozen Custard. Coupons nice but not required.

Just Coffee: Caribou Coffee

Coffee & Breakfast: Bean Scene Cafe/Sweetest Chef (I haven't been much since it changed hands and names but I'm assuming it is still great). Coupons nice but not required.

Sandwich: Schlotzky's. The closest one is states away. Otherwise they're all about the same to me. Are Sweetest Chef's sandwiches any good?

Never been to Nagoya but if I had a decent discount coupon I'd like to give it a try. We just don't usually spend that much.

For a wide variety of choices: Mimi's Cafe. The food isn't as good as I'd like but they have a lot to choose from.

Breakfast: I'm pinning my hopes on the Great Eggspectations when it opens over by River Creek.

 

Eggspectation in Chantilly is wonderful.
Great exsiting breakfasts 'round here include:
Amvrosia
Mimi's Cafe (benedicts to KILL for)
Mezza Grill
Spanky's Shenanigans (Leesburg)
O'Faolains (Sterling)
Ashburn Bagel (or Karate Bagels) for a solid sausage egg and cheese!
and the all time fabulous-est:

Tuskies for Sunday Brunch- once a year, just suck it up, pull out your wallet, and fast for 12 hours before so you can eat your money's worth! what a spectacular brunch they put on... mmmm.

 

OMG, we are getting a Great Eggspectations? OMG OMG OMG ... when????

I love that place.

 

it's only about 20 minutes to the one off of 28 - Westfields exit- I forget which one...

 

Great Eggspectations is expected to be in the Villages at Leesburg shopping center where the Wegmans will be. Route 7 and River Creek Parkway. I don't know when but it probably will be at least a year away?

 

is that different than THIS chain?

http://eggspectation.com/

this is what is in Chantilly...