There is an old American tradition called the “blue plate special” that originated in the 1920’s and was popularized in the 50’s. If you were looking for the best deal at any restaurant you knew to ask for the blue plate special.

Things are a little more complicated today with online deals and Facebook offers. But it’s still possible to find terrific dining deals, even if you’re not computer savvy. Here are 20 of our favorite ideas.

Fast Food chains

Ok, let’s get this out of the way up front. I know fast food chains have a bad reputation and for those who are concerned about health (and honestly shouldn’t we all be?) they may not be the best choice. Still, there are some great deals out there and these days fast food doesn’t necessarily mean grabbing a burger and fries from you local McDonald’s. There are fast food chains like Chipotle that offer a wide selection of meal choices made from fresh ingredients and at a reasonable price. Of course

sometimes you are just looking for plain old fashioned comfort food and a burger and fries may be just what you are craving. Fortunately, most fast food places and nearly all fast food burger chains offer some kind of value menu. So before you consider eating out at a pricey restaurant, take a look at what fast food places have to offer. You may be surprised!