Check this post 9 Ways to Keep Your Dining-Out Budget Low Without Having to Stay In from MintLife Blog | Personal Finance News & Advice:

If you want to save money on food, dining out less often is certainly one way to do it.

Without a doubt, cooking at home is almost always cheaper. Restaurants aim to keep food costs at 30% of their tab, which is another way of saying that you’re paying roughly three times the ingredients’ wholesale costs, and more than double the price at the supermarket.