Cut Your Dining Costs by Half!

Find delicious places to eat on a budget! Food can really add up, which can really make you mad if you spend money on a crap meal. Don’t assume there will be amazing food everywhere you turn. Find and book tables at dining venues in the UK and Europe and save money while doing it!

With TopTable.com, not only can you make reservations online, but you can see diner reviews, menus, get big discounts and accrue points for each reservation you complete to earn your way to a free dining certificate. Even if you’re already in the city and want to have lunch in an hour, make your reservation just to get the points credited to your account when you check in. You can do it on your smart phone via mobile web or their free phone and iPad apps!

It’s one of the best ways to check out those Michelin-starred restaurants run by celebrity chefs, too. Deep discounts on some of the best food in the world? Count me in. I’m totally using TopTable to eat at one of Gordon Ramsay’s London restaurants for less when I return. In the meantime, I will use their sister site, OpenTable.com, to make my reservations for Ramsay's Los Angeles restaurant.

American Food Around the World

When my husband and I visit the UK or Europe, we find that we miss some of the things we take for granted here in America. One of these things is unlimited drink refills. Another is having enough ice in a beverage to make it cold. Having the ice melt from the warmth of your drink before it even hits the table can be frustrating, especially when you pay up to £4 for a soda or ice tea. When we need a bit of home, we hit up the place we know will be the same everywhere we go, whether it’s in San Diego, London, Paris or Rio de Janeiro. The setting may be different and the restaurant may be a different size with different décor, but Hard Rock Café is always on our list of dining venues.

As much as I love trying new cuisines and unique foods, there’s something to be said for having the opportunity at hand to enjoy something familiar. It’s not just the giant icy soft drinks that can be had a the Hard Rock, but the music videos, the cheeseburgers, the wait staff. Everything about it spells comfort for us and we know it can give us a bit of home. The food isn’t haute cuisine, but it is delicious and flavorful, as well as budget-friendly. No matter where in the world you visit Hard Rock, the prices are pretty similar, as is the menu. There are some of the same items on every Hard Rock menu and then their twist on local favorites. Americanized, if you will.

Eric's totally blissful over his monster icy Diet Pepsi

In Hawaii, we were treated to one of the locally caught fish as a yummy sandwich and you can get local specials at ever café from South America to Asia, making it a great stop for travelers and locals alike. Get something you are accustomed to or try something you’ve never heard of before. The portions are hearty, too, so if you aren’t starving when you get there, split an entrée. It’s certainly not uncommon to see diners sharing dinner and a dessert.

Everywhere we travel that a Hard Rock is available. We make a point to visit for lunch or dinner. In fact, in our travels, we've dined in the smallest Hard Rock - Cozumel - and the world's largest - Orlando. I’ve even joined the All-Access Pass membership. It enables us to earn points on dining and Rock Shop purchases, as well as priority seating with your membership card. You pay to join, but you also receive a credit on your card of almost the same value that you can use in the rock shop, the café or the online store. Many locations have live music as well. Find out everything you need to know, including the address and menu options on Hard Rock Café online.

Eric and I at the world's smallest HRC in Cozumel