While many people are entire satisfied with the Costco membership just being used to shop in the popular warehouse store, having their card provides many perks that go unused by many members. Be it because of lack of knowledge or lack of publicity, making the most of your membership is almost an obligation considering the current economic situation that we are in. One of the main ways that you can take advantage of discounts is by using your membership card to eat out, and that is one of the most underutilized perks that come with it.
When most people think about dining out with their Costco membership card, they automatically think about using the food court that can be found in or around many of its locations. This is not a bad idea, especially for those that are on a very tight budget and love the popular $1.50 hot dog and soda combo, but that is not exactly a relaxing “night out”, and while it can prove tasty and economical, especially if you have children, it can get fairly repetitive. Plus, what if you are in the mood for something else? Well, Costco has you covered.
The Costco membership perk that most people miss on: restaurant discounts
While these discounts are not attached to the membership per se, the only way they can be accessed is by going inside a Costco warehouse and purchasing them, which makes them exclusive for members or for those who members will gift them to. These discounts are sometimes also available on the website and depending on the restaurant that they are attached to, they can even be purchased online and sent directly to the attached email, making the discount even easier to apply on the go, so if you are planning on eating out, you might want to look at what is on offer before choosing the restaurant.
While not all restaurants or chains will offer the same discount rates, codes or way of applying the card, you can save up to 25% off the face value of the meal. Since these are gift cards, they usually come with a “pre-paid” amount for which you will have already paid the discount. This means that you will be able to purchase a pre-paid $100 Domino’s Pizza gift card for just $74.99, or Papa John’s gift card for just $79.99.
Since the discounts are set by the chains and not Costco, each card will be a slightly different cost and it will pay to look around and get the deal that suits your family best. For example, those who have kids might appreciate Chuck E. Cheese (great for kids’ parties), which has $100 gift cards for $74.99.
Adults might want something more sophisticated and a bot of a sit down dinner, even it is fast food, so discounts for Landry’s restaurants, like Morton’s The Steakhouse, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., or Rainforest Café, with $100 gift cards for $79.99 might be a better option even if the money does not go as far in those locations.
Small word of caution, especially if you are planning on gifting these cards and not using them yourself on the go. The offer is for third-party gift cards, not the store’s own Shop Cards which means that once they are purchased, they cannot be exchanged or returned, so ensure that the card will be used before making the purchase and that it will not expire before the person that receives the card has time to do so. Otherwise, it will be an incredible waste of money and of a nice opportunity for a night out.
These gift cards may change every once in a while, so if you have not seen a restaurant that interests you until now, keep looking, as some day it might be included in your membership perks.