Unlocking the Secret Vault of Savings: How to Eat Out Like Royalty (Without Spending a Fortune!)

In a world where dining out often feels like a luxury rather than a simple pleasure, imagine a scenario where you could enjoy your favorite meals at incredible discounts, sometimes even getting paid to eat! Sound too good to be true? It's not. The secret lies in a powerful strategy called "stacking" savings, and today, we're going to pull back the curtain on how you can master it using a few simple, yet incredibly effective, tools.

Forget clipping coupons one by one or hoping for a rare promotional offer. We're talking about a systematic approach that combines the power of discounted gift cards, robust cash back programs, dynamic coupon codes, and savvy credit card rewards. By the end of this guide, you'll have a treasure map to significant savings, turning your dining experiences from budget drainers into delightful victories.

The Golden Rule: Never Pay Full Price Again!

The core of our strategy is layering. Think of it like a delicious multi-layered cake, where each layer adds another dimension of flavor – or in our case, another layer of savings. Most people use one method to save money, maybe a coupon or a single credit card perk. But the real magic happens when you intelligently combine multiple avenues for discounts and rewards. This isn't just about saving a few dollars; it's about transforming your spending habits to unlock unprecedented value.

We're going to focus on three essential platforms that, when used in conjunction with a smart credit card, create a formidable savings powerhouse: CardCash, Rakuten, and Retailmenot. Each offers unique benefits, but their true potential is unleashed when they work together.

Layer 1: The Foundation of Savings – Discounted Gift Cards with CardCash

Our first stop on this savings journey is CardCash. Have you ever thought about buying a gift card for less than its face value? CardCash makes this possible by offering a marketplace for discounted gift cards. These aren't expired or fake cards; they're legitimate gift cards sold at a lower price than their actual worth, giving you instant savings before you even step foot in a restaurant.

Imagine walking into your favorite eatery with a gift card that cost you, say, 20% less than its value. That’s an immediate 20% discount on your entire meal, including tax and tip! Let's take a look at a realistic example:

At the time of this post, you could purchase eGift cards for Macaroni Grill at a staggering 41.8% off on CardCash. This isn't just a minor reduction; it's a massive upfront saving that forms the bedrock of our strategy. [Deals on CardCash vary based on availability.]

How to start with CardCash: To get started with CardCash and lock in these initial savings, you'll want to [Sign up for a free CardCash account using my link to earn $5 off your first order !]  Once you're signed up, you can add the CardCash app to your mobile phone and log into your new account. This will be your primary hub for purchasing discounted gift cards that fuel your savings stack.

Layer 2: Amplifying Your Savings – Cash Back with Rakuten

Now that you've got your CardCash account, it's time to layer on even more savings with Rakuten. Rakuten is renowned for offering cash back on online purchases, in-store shopping, and for our purposes, even dining at participating restaurants.

Rakuten plays a dual role in our stacking strategy:

1. Cash Back on Gift Card Purchases: When you buy your discounted gift card from CardCash, you can go through Rakuten first to earn additional cash back on that purchase. For instance, you could receive as little as 1% cash back for CardCash purchases made through Rakuten. While 1% might seem small, remember, every percentage point adds up in our stacking strategy. This small step on a $30 gift card purchase, for example, would yield an extra $0.33 back.

2. Cash Back on Restaurant Dining: This is where Rakuten truly shines for foodies. By simply linking your credit card to your Rakuten account, you can automatically earn 5% cash back at thousands of participating restaurants. The best part? There’s no need to upload receipts or activate individual offers. You just link your card, use it when you dine at eligible restaurants, and watch the cash back accumulate. This applies to the entire bill, including tax, tip, and drinks.

Receive an Exclusive Rakuten Sign-Up Bonus with my link! For new users, Rakuten often offers a generous sign-up bonus. If you spend $30 within the first 90 days by going through Rakuten links to shop, you will receive $30 in your account on top of your shopping savings. This means your first CardCash purchase could potentially fulfill this requirement, instantly boosting your total savings!

To integrate Rakuten into your strategy, first, [Create a Rakuten account using my link here.] Download the Rakuten app, sign in, and most importantly, add your credit card(s) to the app to unlock that extra 5% savings on restaurant dining.

Layer 3: Uncovering Hidden Discounts – Coupon Codes with Retailmenot

Our third layer involves Retailmenot, a go-to source for coupon codes and additional cash back offers. Retailmenot can provide savings at two critical points in our strategy:

1. Discounts on Gift Card Purchases: Before you finalize your CardCash purchase (after going through Rakuten!), check Retailmenot for coupon codes applicable to CardCash. We were able to use a 6% off coupon code that was available for CardCash purchases, saving an additional $2.10 on a $34.92 purchase of Macaroni Grill gift cards that had a $60 value. This is a direct reduction on the already discounted gift card!

2. Restaurant-Specific Coupon Codes: This is the powerful second part of Retailmenot's contribution. Even after securing your discounted gift cards, you can check the Retailmenot app when you're at the restaurant for additional, in-the-moment discounts. For example, we discovered a 25% off coupon code for Macaroni Grill through the Retailmenot app. Imagine combining a deeply discounted gift card with an additional 25% off your final bill! This is where the savings really compound.

To ensure you're ready for this layer of savings, create a Retailmenot account and grab the app. Having the app on your phone will allow you to quickly check for coupon codes right before you pay, ensuring you never miss a potential saving.

Layer 4: Maximizing Rewards – Your Savvy Credit Card (Enter: Capital One Savor)

The final, crucial layer in our savings stack is your credit card. While many credit cards offer rewards, some are specifically designed to maximize earnings on dining and entertainment. The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card stands out as an exceptional choice for this strategy, particularly because of its robust reward structure and $0 annual fee.

The Capital One Savor card is truly a "foodie-focused" card, offering unlimited 3% cash back at restaurants and grocery stores, as well as on entertainment and popular streaming services. This means that even after applying your gift card and any in-restaurant coupons, the remaining balance that you charge to your Capital One Savor card will earn you another 3% back. This is what we call "double-dipping" – earning rewards from your dining program (like Rakuten Dining) and from your credit card.

Why the Capital One Savor Card is a Game-Changer:

• No Annual Fee: Unlike many other cards that offer bonus rewards for dining, the Capital One Savor card has a $0 annual fee. This means you don't have to worry about spending a certain amount just to break even on an annual fee. It offers "more breathing room" compared to travel cards with steep annual fees.

• Generous Cash Back on Dining: Its unlimited 3% cash back on dining is competitive, especially for a no-annual-fee card. This rate applies broadly to "restaurants, cafes, bars, lounges, fast-food chains and bakeries".

• Beyond Dining: It also offers unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), entertainment, and popular streaming services. This versatility makes it a strong contender for everyday spending, whether you're dining out or eating in.

• Bonus Categories for Travelers: For those who also enjoy travel, the card offers even higher rewards: 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

• Solid Welcome Offers: New cardholders can earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once they spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. It also includes a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers (with a balance transfer fee).

• No Foreign Transaction Fees: Ideal for international travel, as you won't incur extra charges when using the card abroad.

• Flexible Rewards: Cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account, and there's no limit to how much you can earn. There's also no minimum redemption requirement.

• Combine Rewards with Other Capital One Cards: If you also hold a Capital One Venture card (like the Venture X Rewards Card), you can transfer the cash back earned on your Savor card to your Venture card at a rate of 1 Capital One mile for each 1 cent transferred. This can increase the value of your rewards, as Capital One miles can be worth an average of 1.2 cents when transferred to airline and hotel partners, according to NerdWallet's valuations. This feature makes the card "even more valuable" for those who travel.

• Broad "Entertainment" Definition: The card's definition of "entertainment" is quite broad, covering purchases at movie theaters, sports promoters, theatrical promoters, amusement parks, tourist attractions, aquariums, zoos, dance halls, record stores, pool halls, and bowling alleys. This excludes golf courses, collegiate sporting events, and non-industry entertainment merchant codes like cable, digital streaming, and membership services (though select streaming services are included in a separate 3% bonus category).

  
  

Comparison to Other Cards (Context for Value): While other cards might offer higher rates in specific categories (e.g., U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card for 4x back on dining only, or Blue Cash Preferred from American Express for 6% back on U.S. supermarkets for a fee), the Capital One Savor card's ability to offer a rich rate on both eating out and eating in, for no annual fee, sets it apart. It's "hard to find a better cash-back card for no annual fee" for frequent restaurant diners or grocery shoppers.

For example, the Blue Cash Preferred from American Express does offer 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 annually) and 6% on select streaming services, but it carries a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. Even with this fee, it can be a better deal for those who spend significantly more on groceries and streaming. The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi also offers 3% cash back at restaurants worldwide with a $0 annual fee (requires a Costco membership fee), and 2% back at Costco, making it a better choice if Costco is your primary shopping destination.

Ultimately, the Capital One Savor card is an "excellent choice" for foodies who want a powerful no-annual-fee card that covers both dining and groceries broadly, and it works exceptionally well as a component in our stacking strategy.

Make Money Grow!

The Ultimate Savings Playbook: A Step-by-Step Example

Let's put all these pieces together with a real-world example to show you the power of this stacking method. Imagine a family dinner at Macaroni Grill, with a pre-discounted bill of $60. Here’s how you could turn that expense into a remarkable saving, potentially even getting paid to eat:

1. Start with Rakuten for Your CardCash Purchase:

   • First, ensure you have a Rakuten account (remember that $30 bonus for new users if you spend $30 in the first 90 days!) and that your credit card is linked.

   • Navigate to CardCash through the Rakuten app or website. This ensures you earn that initial Rakuten cash back on your gift card purchase. [1% cash back on CardCash purchases.]

   • Affiliate Link Reminder: [Sign up for Rakuten here to get started with your cash back journey!]

2. Purchase Discounted Gift Cards on CardCash:

   • On CardCash, find Macaroni Grill eGift cards priced at 41.8% off.

   • To cover a $60 dinner, you might add three $20 eGift cards to your cart. The face value is $60, but the initial cost before further discounts is $34.92. This already gives you $25.08 in immediate savings ($60 - $34.92).

   • Affiliate Link Reminder: [Find amazing gift card deals on CardCash here!]

3. Apply Retailmenot Coupon to Your CardCash Purchase:

   • Before checking out on CardCash, open your Retailmenot app and search for CardCash coupons.

   • Example 6% off coupon code for CardCash purchases. Applying this to your $34.92 purchase saves you an additional $2.10.

   • Your new total cost for the $60 in gift cards is now just $32.82 ($34.92 - $2.10). Your gift card savings just increased to $27.18 ($60 - $32.82).

4. Dine Out and Apply More Retailmenot Savings:

   • At Macaroni Grill, as you prepare to pay, check your Retailmenot app for current Macaroni Grill coupon codes.

   • Use a 25% off coupon code for Macaroni Grill. If your initial bill was $60, this coupon could save you an additional $15. You'll apply this coupon first, reducing your out-of-pocket spend, which you then cover with your discounted gift cards.

5. Earn Rakuten Dining Cash Back:

   • Since your credit card is linked to your Rakuten account, you automatically earn 5% cash back on the bill charged to that card at participating restaurants.

   • Assuming the $60 bill was fully covered by your gift cards, and the 25% coupon reduced the bill to $45 ($60 * 0.75), if the original $60 was the basis for Rakuten Dining, you'd get 5% on that, or $3.00.

6. Earn Credit Card Rewards (Capital One Savor):

   • Finally, use your Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card for 3% cash back for any remaining balance or if you link it to Rakuten Dining for the 5% cashback. Assuming the $60 bill was reduced by the 25% coupon to $45, if you pay the remaining balance with your Savor card, you get 3% back on that amount.

Let's Tally Up the Astonishing Savings (Based on the Example):

• Rakuten 1% cash back on CardCash purchase: $0.33

• Rakuten referral bonus (if new user and criteria met): $30.00

• Retailmenot Coupon for CardCash: $2.10

• Gift Card Savings (from 41.8% off): $27.18

• Retailmenot Coupon for Macaroni Grill (25% off assumed $60 bill): $15.00

• Rakuten Dining Savings (5% on dining): $3

• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards (3% on dining)

Total Savings = $0.33 + $30.00 + $2.10 + $27.18 + $15.00 + $3 = $77.61

Since your total savings exceeded the original bill, you just got paid over $17 and a meal to eat out with your family!.

Why This Strategy Works: The Cumulative Power of Small Savings

The beauty of this system lies in its compounding effect. Each platform, on its own, offers valuable savings. But when you integrate them, a series of seemingly small discounts and cash back percentages accumulate into a significant financial savings.

• Front-Loaded Savings: Starting with discounted gift cards on CardCash provides an instant, guaranteed percentage off your total purchase. This is often the largest single discount you'll achieve.

• Multiplier Effect: Rakuten adds cash back on that initial gift card purchase, then on your actual dining experience. Retailmenot provides coupons for both the gift card purchase and the restaurant itself. Your credit card, like the Capital One Savor, then adds another layer of cash back on the final transaction.

• Effortless Earnings: Once your credit card is linked to Rakuten, and you're accustomed to checking Retailmenot, the process becomes incredibly streamlined. Many of the cash back earnings are automatic.

• Overlooked Opportunities: Many people aren't aware of these multi-layered saving opportunities. While the individual components might be known, their combined potential is often overlooked.

Important Considerations for Stacking:

• Rewards Network vs. Rakuten Dining: It's important to note a distinction regarding dining programs. Most airline and hotel dining programs (like Delta SkyMiles Dining, AAdvantage Dining, etc.) are administered by a company called Rewards Network. This means you cannot link the same credit card to multiple Rewards Network dining programs at the same time. However, Rakuten Dining operates independently and allows you to link your credit card to earn its 5% cash back, which can then be combined with your credit card's rewards (like the 3% from Capital One Savor). This is critical for our stacking strategy!

• Merchant Codes: For credit card rewards and some dining programs, whether you earn bonus rewards often depends on the "merchant classification code" assigned to the business. Capital One Savor, for example, has broad definitions for "dining" and "entertainment".

• Check Eligibility: Always quickly verify if a restaurant is participating in Rakuten Dining or has current Retailmenot coupons before you go or before you pay.

Your Path to Smart Dining Starts Now!

The days of paying full price for your meals are over. By adopting this powerful stacking strategy, you're not just saving money; you're becoming a savvy consumer who truly understands how to maximize every dollar. The potential for savings, and even earning money, is real and within your grasp.

So, what are you waiting for? Take the first step towards a smarter, more rewarding dining experience.

The next time you head out for a meal, imagine the satisfaction of knowing you've orchestrated a symphony of savings. You're not just eating; you're winning. Start stacking your way to incredible dining deals today!