Maximize your dining dollars with restaurant loyalty reward programs & gift cards (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

If you like to eat out regularly (and who doesn’t), whether at fine dining restaurants or casual eateries, be sure to join a reward or loyalty program. Many restaurants are more than happy to slip you a little green in the form of a discount when you come back regularly. We have a few tips for choosing a restaurant loyalty program that best suits your restaurant dining style. These tips can help maximize your savings.

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Tips for choosing a loyalty program

Loyalty rewards programs for regular patrons are offered at many establishments, from coffee shops to burger joints and steakhouses to fine dining restaurants. Take advantage of them when you can! – DepositPhotos.com

The best restaurant rewards programs for you to join are those with convenient locations and a menu selection that you always find appealing. If you travel regularly for vacation or business, include these locations in your decision.

We recommend you choose at most two or three reward loyalty programs. A good mix might include one casual restaurant for everyday dining, one for take-out, and one fine dining restaurant for special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, engagements, etc.).

A restaurant that offers several dining styles would help you rack up points for any type of dining you may want to do: dine-in or takeout. Be sure to compare the fine print when choosing any reward program:

Some restaurant rewards programs give additional discounts for your birthday or wedding anniversary, plus special invitations and exclusive offers from discounts on dining, gift cards, wine, and other perks.
Other programs may place restrictions on your rewards, for example restrict you to dine-in only or add an automatic gratuity to your bill.
More flexible dining reward programs allow you to earn rewards for every dollar you spend with them, whether you are dining in, getting take-out, enjoying cocktails or food in the lounge, or buying gift cards.
Finally, some restaurant loyalty programs also offer perks or discounts with other retail partners. This is a great option if their partners are also companies where you are likely to visit.

One final thought: by their nature, rewards programs tend to be feasible only for larger restaurant chains. However, many smaller, local, single location restaurants offer punch cards that reward you with a freebie after multiple purchases. So, check with your local barista or mom-and-pop restaurant whether they offer a punch card or other loyalty program.

Below, we’ve got a list of loyalty programs at locally owned Seattle-Tacoma area restaurants, followed by some national (and in some cases, international) discount gift card and loyalty programs. If we left your favorite restaurant off this list, send us an email and we’ll be happy to add it.

If you dine out regularly, join a restaurant rewards program to stretch your dining dollars – DepositPhotos.com

Seattle restaurant loyalty programs

These restaurants represent locally owned restaurants offering loyalty programs that give you discounts for repeat business.

Some of these restaurant chains have expanded well beyond Seattle or were bought out by national companies, but they started here. So, we still consider them home grown Seattle restaurants.

We are after all, very loyal, too.

Black Angus Steakhouse: Includes 3 restaurants in the south sound (Lakewood, Puyallup, Federal Way). Join Black Angus Prime Club

El Gaucho: Includes El Gaucho, AQUA, and other dinner houses in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and Walla Walla, all part of the Fire & Vine Hospitality group. Join Fire & Vine Revelers club.

Emerald City Fish & Chips is locally owned by Stevie Allen on Seattle’s Rainier Avenue. His tasty, blue ribbon, southern recipes have delighted thousands of fans who line up to feast on his Alaskan cod, halibut, catfish, salmon dishes, crab puppies, sweet potato fries, oysters & prawns, a variety of po’boy sandwiches, chowder and salad. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Get a Lunch Club punch card, buy 8, and your 9th meal is FREE! One location: 3756 Rainier Avenue, Seattle, WA 98144.

Ivar’s Restaurants senior rewards program is for people 55 years and older. Benefits include a 10% discount and BOGO birthday meal. Receive a 10% discount at any Ivar’s Full-Service restaurants or Seafood Bars, or Kidd Valley restaurants, excluding stadiums, such as T-Mobile Park. You may use your card as often as you’d like. You can also request a frequent buyers card and earn free meals. Join Ivar’s Carte Clam Club.

Ray’s Boathouse and Café: One waterfront location in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. Earn Points redeemable as Dining Credits as well as for retail items and gift cards. Join Ray’s Loyalty program.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers operates a dozen locations throughout Puget Sound. Get your 10th item free plus other benefits. Earn Rewards Today | Red Robin

Restaurants Unlimited: Locations in Seattle and Puget Sound area cites, and more across Washington State and around the country. Join the Landry Select Club Features (landrysselect.com) for free. Earn points when visiting any participating restaurants from coast to coast. Plus, you’ll receive exclusive member-only benefits. Dine at any of the following Puget Sound restaurants: Cutters Crabhouse (Pike Place Market), Maggie Bluffs (Magnolia), Palisade (Magnolia), Scott’s Bar & Grill (Edmonds), and Stanley & Seafort’s (Tacoma). Or Locations – Restaurants Unlimited (r-u-i.com).

Daniel’s Restaurants: Includes Daniel’s restaurants in Seattle and Bellevue. Rewards – Daniel’s Broiler (danielsbroiler.com)

Starbucks pay-by-phone app rewards earns you free beverages and food. Join My Starbucks Rewards.

Taco Time fast casual Mexican restaurant with dozens of Puget Sound locations offers an app that lets you to pay-by-phone while you earn dining rewards. Join Taco Time rewards.

National and international dining rewards programs

These loyalty programs work across multiple restaurants and locations.

Alaska Airlines Dining Rewards earns airlines miles when you register credit/debit cards and dine at participating restaurants. Dozens of restaurants in Seattle and throughout the West participate. Join Alaska Mileage Plan Network.

Landry’s Select Club (landrysselect.com) earn points when visiting any participating restaurants from coast to coast, including Restaurants Unlimited locations in Seattle. Plus, you’ll receive exclusive member-only benefits.

OpenTable is the world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations. And it’s free to use from either the desktop website or mobile app. On OpenTable, you can search for a restaurant based on location, type of cuisine, price range, date, and time you want to dine. Once you find a table, it’s super easy book a reservation. But that’s not all, there are two ways to save on dining out with OpenTable Rewards Points:

Earn Dining Rewards Points for reservations you make and honor through your free OpenTable account. Redeem Reward Points for a discount at any OpenTable restaurant. Reservations with OpenTable usually earn 100 Dining Points.
Save even more with Bonus Dining Reward Points. Look for “1,000 Point” Dining Reward reservations at select restaurants and times.
For more information, check the list of Seattle-Tacoma restaurants on OpenTable.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining earns you points when you use your registered Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card from Chase at participating restaurants. Choose from dozens of restaurants in the Seattle area or in destination cities when you travel. Join Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining.

Restaurant.com is the nation’s largest dining deals site offering discount dining deals in a range of prices from $5 to $100. Search from your desktop or mobile phone. Search for Seattle restaurants and thousands more nationwide. Find deals by searching by restaurant name, type of cuisine, city, zip code, or Dine@Home deals. Restaurant.com gift certificates are available as physical Gift Cards or eGift Cards. Gift Cards include free standard shipping in the U.S. and eGift Cards can either be printed by you, sent directly to your mobile phone, or emailed to a recipient (even you). The gift certificates never expire and can be exchanged. Restaurant.com dining discounts are always changing. But here are some examples and tips:

You might find a $25 Restaurant.com Certificate for $10 and save $15 on your next dining experience.
On a recent check, we found certificates priced from $2 to $40, on purchases of $5 to $100, saving $3 to $60.
Popular restaurants restrict the number of certificates they sell, so check at the first of the month for best selection.
New certificates are added each month, so plan to visit Restaurant.com regularly.

If you eat out regularly at fine dining restaurants or casual eateries, you can save money when you join a loyalty program. Choose a few loyalty programs from restaurants that match your dining style, with convenient locations and menu selection that you are most likely to use regularly. Also check with smaller restaurants and coffee shops for a punch card loyalty program. Loyalty programs can help maximize your savings every time you dine out or get take out.

If your family likes to eat out regularly or get takeout, you can save money when you join a loyalty program. Photo by monkeybusiness – DepositPhotos.com

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