The best dining-out deals for over-60s

Eating out is more expensive than ever, but the good news is there are useful discounts to take advantage of – if you know where to look.

Supermarkets and chain restaurants offer deals, of course, but don’t forget to scout around your local cafes and restaurants for special prices too. 

Often, you’ll need to prove your age (you may be able to use a Senior Railcard, bus pass, passport or driving licence) or sign up to receive a code, but if you’re looking for a cheaper way to get out for a meal out or a cuppa and a slice of cake, it’s worth the little extra effort.

Cafés, pubs and supermarkets.

If you need a mid-week treat, Asda’s in-store café has 10% off for over-60s on a Wednesday. 

In previous years, Asda has run its popular Winter Warmer between November and March, offering over-60s meals like soup and a roll, plus unlimited tea and coffee, for just £1. 

Although there’s currently no confirmation of its return for 2024, it’s worth keeping an eye out for.

Browsing at the garden centre can be costly if you’re tempted by just one more geranium or bulb, but Dobbies Garden Centres offers its menu for less if you’re over 60 - from 12-3pm Monday to Friday, you can get a main course and a cake for £12 (an extra £2 for fish and chips).

Some Greene King pubs offer a Seniors Menu, which offers smaller dishes or two courses for £5.99 from Monday to Friday until 5pm - while we found a decent number that offered the menu, it’s far from all, so do check your local pub to avoid disappointment. 

It might not be a meal out, but older customers can also cut the cost of their food shop at Iceland if they time it right, as the supermarket offers 10% off for over-60s every Tuesday. 

To qualify you need to sign up for an Iceland Bonus Card and scan it in-store, then show your Senior Railcard, bus pass, Freedom Pass or driver’s licence at the till.

The same discount applies at The Food Warehouse, which is also owned by Iceland.

Alternatively, if you like the idea of a fancy afternoon tea in the comfort of your own home, Patisserie Valerie has 10% off online orders for the over-60s – you'll just need to sign up with your phone number to get the necessary code.

Tastecard

 If you dine out a lot, a Tastecard can make financial sense. It’s open to everyone – not just over-60s - but if you’ve got flexibility over when you can eat you might really be able to benefit.

It offers two-for-one off deals at restaurants including Frankie & Benny’s, Bella Italia and Prezzo. There’s also 50% off at pizza delivery firms Domino’s and Papa Johns, so it’s useful if you’re feeding grandchildren during the school holidays too. 

You can grab 25% off barista-made drinks at Caffe Nero (and other coffee shops) seven days a week through The Coffee Club, as well as discounts on cinemas.

Monthly membership is usually £7.99, with a yearly subscription coming in a little cheaper at £79.99, but always shop around for offers such as this 30-day free trial which auto-renews to a yearly price of £29.99. (There’s also a £5.99 a month offer.)

A free Tastecard is also one of the many benefits of Boundless, the community for those working in or retired from the civil service or public sector (e.g. armed forces, teaching and social services). 

Membership there starts at £40 a year, and can get you a host of other discounts, so is well worth a look if you’re eligible (or can get a direct family member who’s signed up to refer you).

If you’ve got a Senior Railcard (which costs £30 a year or £70 for three years, giving you a third off rail travel) you can get a free three-month Tastecard membership too.

• Smart hacks for cheaper days out

Rescue out-of-date food

Food waste apps are growing in popularity. Too Good To Go lets you buy surplus food from restaurants and supermarkets at discount prices at different points in the day.

Just check the map near your home and see what’s on offer. Chains including Greene King, Starbucks, Leon, Gail’s, Aldi, Morrisons and Pret are just some of the shops and restaurants who take part. There’ll also be independent outlets local to you getting involved.

However, while you can get huge discounts on cakes, sandwiches, groceries and more, what you get in your bag will be a surprise, the contents of which can vary wildly depending on what the restaurant, shop or cafe has left over.

If you’re on a lower income, another idea is to find out whether there any community cafes in your area – often serving rescued food in ‘pop-up’ restaurants. 

The St Albans Community Pantry, for example, offers regular evening dinners cooked by volunteers using food rescued from local supermarkets.  Customers are only asked to pay what they can afford.

These places are on the rise, and you can find any nearby through searching online or checking out local noticeboards.

Sign up to emails and download apps

If you’re planning your next meal out, we’ve rounded up a few offers that are open to all (at the time of writing, of course), but do look at restaurants’ websites to see if they’re offering anything special for signing up for promotional emails or downloading their app.

Many offers are only valid for the first time you dine, but you can easily unsubscribe or delete the app afterwards if you only want to grab the discount.

• Beefeater offers 25% off your bill if you sign up for promotional emails.
• Toby Carvery has 25% off food for up to six people (except on Sundays) when you download the app.
• Ember Inns offer 25% of your bill on your half birthday when you download the app and sign up for an account.
• And Prezzo is one to keep an eye on, regularly offering 25% off all food, as well as its autumn set menu with two courses for £20 and three from £26.