It's still possible to enjoy a night out in Denver metro area without breaking the bank, experts say
Rising food prices, especially at restaurants, are forcing many people to rethink that night out before they enjoy a meal at a restaurant. According to the Consumer Price Index, restaurant prices rose 4.1% percent in 2025. That's almost double the pace of inflation at the grocery store.
Leah Ryan is a local food influencer who focuses on hyper-local deals in and around the Denver metro area. She said there are a lot of ways to save money while dining out. Whether it's on your own, with friends, or with the whole family, saving money just takes a little planning.
She first recommends planning your meal out. Check out the restaurant's menu online beforehand to see if they have any deals, happy hour, or late-night happy hour.
"There are so many good happy hours in the whole Denver metro area and beyond. There are even late-night happy hours. So, if you're at a show and you want to grab a bite to eat after a show, 8 p.m. to close, especially later in the week, they have some really great late-night happy hours," said Ryan.
Most restaurants have better deals on weekdays or during lunch, when business is slower. Some common specials include Taco Tuesday, Wine Wednesday, or restaurants that offer all-you-can-eat deals.
"There are a lot of lunch specials. There are people who desire lunch eating instead of evening eating because of the specials. Restaurants will also have smaller portions, and it's way cheaper," said Ryan.
There are also applications called "inKind" or "Open Rewards," where you can accumulate points and get cash back, discounts, or even a free app or dessert. Some communities also offer their own rewards programs, like Littleton and Englewood. Ryan also encourages dining out at small, local businesses where your dollar goes even further instead of chain restaurants.
"Split the meal with a friend or a family member, or you can do something like cutting back on the expensive drinks or finding one of the deals that they might have at the restaurants, and the takeout. There's always Grubhub and the DoorDash app coupons that you can use as a frequent buyer," said Ryan.
Denver Restaurant Week also offers deals at fixed price points, so it can be easy to plan a night out around that. For Denver Restaurant Week, there are great deals at fixed price points, for $25, $35, $45 and $55 per person. Denver Restaurant Week kicks off on Friday, March 6. There are more than 300 local restaurants participating.
