eating out on a budget: how nova scotians can still find value on their plate this summer
7 minute read
customers dine at the food booths on saltyard way on the waterfront in halifax on tuesday, july 7, 2026.
tim krochak
/
the chronicle herald
editor’s note: as higher prices continue to squeeze household budgets, our making it work series explores how nova scotians are adapting to rising costs, sharing practical ideas for saving money on food, travel, recreation and everyday life without sacrificing quality.
for many nova scotians, eating out has turned into a rare treat as opposed to something more routine.
with grocery prices and restaurant costs growing, many are asking the same question: is it still possible to enjoy a meal without breaking the bank?
restaurant owners and food experts say affordable dining hasn’t disappeared. it just takes a little more planning and thought.
“it’s expensive everywhere now,” said vincent morley, co-owner of halifax’s bonfire restaurant. “across the board, restaurants are just feeling the hit of inflation.”
for restaurants and diners, affordability is becoming a balancing act.
restaurants adapting to higher costs
heather boucher, membership and marketing co-ordinator with the restaurant association of nova scotia, said restaurants have spent the last several years trying to shield customers from rising costs.
“since 2023 we’ve seen food costs really go up like 20 to 25 per cent,” she said. “menu prices have not gone up nearly that same level.”
instead, many restaurants are absorbing a lot of those increased costs.
“the average profit margin is still four per cent,” boucher said. “this is where restaurants understand the cost and are very sensitive to diner needs.”
rather than steep discounts, independent restaurants tend to be more strategic with deals.
boucher said diners should watch for lunch offers, early bird deals, happy hours, loyalty programs and seasonal specials. one of the quickest ways to keep track is following the restaurants on social media.
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“they have to get a bit more strategic in their marketing to keep diners coming through the door because now diners are thinking more about what they’re spending,” she said.
small changes for big savings
for local chef stephen barrett, founder of the seasoned plate, saving money often comes down to changing how you dine out rather than giving it up as a whole.
“lunch menus are fantastic,” barrett said. “they’re often very similar to a dinner or supper menu at a cheaper cost.”
if you’re willing to dine a bit earlier in the day, barrett estimated a lunch menu can be 10 to 25 per cent cheaper than dinner while offering the same experience.
“that’s one way. if you’re looking at a specific restaurant you want to try, and you’re looking at the dinner menu, that might be a little bit too steep,” he said.
sharing meals can be another easy way to stretch your dining dollar.
family style restaurants, noodle houses, pizza spots and some fish and chip places provide portions that are often large enough for two people.
family style sharing meals are one of the many ways diners can save this summer.
the bonfire resturant
“if you can do family style meals . . . you’re probably going to save around 20 per cent,” barrett said.
another way to keep the bill lower is skipping alcoholic drinks, which can quickly rack up a tab.
“if you stick to tap water, it’s a ton,” he said.
combined, barrett estimated a diner could trim around 10 to 35 per cent off the final bill without changing the experience entirely.
he also encouraged diners to research the menu of a restaurant before heading out to avoid any surprises when the bill arrives.
“that way, you can look at exactly what everything cost . . . and just be prepared for that. . . . if you know something’s going to cost around $100 plus tip, make sure you budget for that.”
local isn’t always the more expensive choice
diners on a budget may be attracted to dine at chain restaurants, assuming they offer the best value. barrett argued that’s often no longer true.
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“if you do a side-by-side comparison, local restaurants are almost always going to be on par as far as affordability.”
barret pointed to restaurants such as tiger hand-pulled noodles, marias pantry, evans seafood and several fish and chip shops as examples where diners can find high-quality, filling meals for around $20.
he said the value goes beyond the price tag, saying that the food is “cooked by someone who knows the craft, who went to school to study this stuff and that’s been cooking for years, as opposed to reheating a processed whatever from a factory.”
why local restaurants can’t offer deep discounts
while diners are searching for deals, local independent restaurants often have little room to lower prices.
“there is just an amount of money you need to make to be able to not die as a business,” morley said.
rising costs have the potential to squeeze operators from every direction.
“just in the last six weeks, we watched canola oil go from $33 to $39 to $41,” he said. “it’s like everything is just getting more expensive.”
kristyn green and vincent morley, owners of the bonfire restaurant in halifax.
tim krochak
/
the chronicle herald
boucher said that’s why many restaurants have shifted away from traditional discounts in favour of menu planning, seasonal features and limited time promotions that make financial sense.
“it’s harder, just because restaurants are already having to absorb the cost of that inflation,” she said. “they know if their menu prices go up 25 per cent they’re not going to get diners anymore so they have to absorb some of that cost, which makes it a little bit harder to give a further discount.”
instead of slashing prices across the menu, many are finding creative ways to offer a valuable experience while remaining sustainable.
the new definition of value
when thinking of value and dining, the full experience matters.
“i can go and grab a fish and chips from evans on the dartmouth boardwalk and sit down and watch a ferry go by, and it’s going to cost me 20 bucks,” he said.
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“it’s going to be an excellent plate of fish and chips. i’m going to have a spectacular view. it’s going to be summer day and i’m really going to feel that nova scotian vibe. . . . that’s an awesome experience for not that much money.”
customers queue at a food booth on saltyard way on the waterfront in halifax on tuesday.
tim krochak
/
the chronicle herald
at bonfire, customers aren’t necessarily looking for the cheapest meal when it comes to value. for them, it means focusing on scratch-made food, generous portions and transparent pricing rather than promotions.
as a tip-free restaurant, all costs are worked into the price on the menu, meaning customers know exactly what they will pay before ordering.
the restaurant also encourages sharing dishes, something morley said offers better value than every member of a party ordering individual entrees and creates a group experience.
“splitting the mac and cheese and corn ribs and potato salad . . . you get a variety of food, you’re gonna leave full,” morley said.
co-owner kristyn green added that in her experience, customers find added value in meals made from scratch with local ingredients.
“everything we make practically is from scratch and i think that that’s what makes it worth it, as well,” she said. “it’s hard when you go and pay a bunch of money for something that you know is from a large distributor.”
more than just a meal
so, is dining out still worth it? for those in the industry, it offers something that goes beyond food on your plate.
boucher said dining out can be a “nice way of supporting local business and putting money back into the economy.”
morley and green agreed, saying that running a restaurant is about more than serving the cheapest food, it can be a key part of a community network.
“i think that people also are now realizing how important it is to support local,” green said. “do i want to buy something and spend my money at a place where it’s going to stay in the community?”
local restaurants are often just as affordable as popular chains, though many are overlooked.
the bonfire
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morley said the bonfire emphasizes this by sourcing as much as possible from local businesses and highlighting those suppliers on the menu.
“people feel good about that,” he said. “communities supporting communities are how communities thrive.”
barret echoed that dining experiences are worth preserving, even if they are limited due to budget. this is particularly true as grocery prices rise and the difference between home cooking and eating out gets smaller.
“its always definitely worth it to eat out,” he said. “the gap between cooking at home and eating out is smaller than it’s ever been. so, i think we all deserve that treat and that break every now and then.”
morley said people shouldn’t have to feel guilty about making room for an occasional night out.
“you’re just going to live your whole life just bare minimums on everything, like never never doing anything to experience any amount of joy?” morley said. “i think you have to make room to treat yourself, especially like finding excuses like birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, stuff like that.”
for nova scotians watching every dollar this summer, the experts agree the best strategy isn’t necessarily to axe going out entirely. instead, diners have to be intentional, check menus beforehand, look for lunch specials or shareable meals, and don’t overlook the local independent restaurant in your neighborhood.
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