We’ve all been there – walking around a high street somewhere we’ve never been before or somewhere that we have been before but have never eaten before, starving hungry and stuck in the cold – but unable to find anywhere to eat. If you don’t know where it is that you want to eat then this can be very tricky and finding somewhere to chow down that has good reviews, has space and that’s in good distance is tricky enough. On top of that you need to find somewhere that won’t cost you the Earth, and every minute you spend wandering around not finding anything is another minute you get hungrier and it gets closer to closing time.
So what can you do? Well if you have a smartphone there’s plenty you can do fortunately. Here we will look at the best procedure to follow to be eating somewhere good and with a discount in no time at all.
1. Open Google Maps and/or Yelp
First of all open up Google Maps or the Yelp app. Using either of these tools on your iPhone, you will be able to see all of the local restaurants in the area as long as your GPS is on and these will be listed with a star rating and a link to the website. Now what you want to do is to look only at those that are within walking distance, and that have a good star rating.
2. Check it Out
Next click on the links of the ones you like the looks of and visit the site to load up the website and get a better look. Here you’ll no doubt get pictures, a menu and a general idea for what the food and décor is like and you should as a result get a good idea of whether you want to eat there or not. This is a group decision so ask what people think and pass the pictures around.
3. Look for Coupons and Deals
Now the other good bit of news is that you can look for coupons online and get things cheaper too. Note down a few of the ones you’ve looked at and liked, and then search on a coupon site to see if there are any offers and this might be enough to help sway your decision – and it can mean you can get a nice and expensive meal very cheaply. The great news is that often you won’t have to present it and you can just instead show the coupon on the screen.
4. Call
Now if it’s a busy Friday night and you’re thinking of just turning up then that’s where you’re going wrong. Just because you’re a few minutes away doesn’t mean you want to walk in the cold and risk wasting yet more time. So give them a call and see if they have space for you and that way you can ensure that you’re not wasting time.
5. Get Directions
You have the option of getting directions on both Google Maps and Yelp. Just go back to the listing and click directions from location, and you’ll be able to get directions right from where you are that you can follow.
