Early Dine vs the Regular Menu: What You Give Up

Largest: Country Fried Sirloin and Herb Crusted Chicken, normally $14.49, saving $2.50 each.

Middle: the three salads and Portobello-adjacent chicken dishes at $13.49, saving $1.50 each. The 6oz Sirloin Steak Dinner at $13.49 saves $1.50.

So the range is roughly $1.50 to $2.50 per person. For two people that is $3 to $5 on the meal.

That is a real saving but a modest one, and it is worth being clear-eyed about rather than treating Early Dine as transformative.

Choice. Eleven entrées against 87 items. No ribeye, no prime rib, no filet, no combos, no ribs, no seafood.

Timing. It is a weekday afternoon offer ending around 6pm, which for many people means leaving work early or eating earlier than they would like.

Stacking. It is not valid with other offers, so you choose between it and anything else you might have.

Availability. Not every restaurant runs it, and it is not available on holidays.

For a family. Two adults saving $2.50 each is $5, and the timing often suits families with young children better anyway.

When one of the eleven is what you wanted regardless. If you were going to order the Herb Crusted Chicken, going early is a free $2.50.

When the restaurant is quieter, which it is in that window — no wait, and a room that is easier to talk in.

It is less compelling if you specifically wanted a ribeye, in which case the offer simply does not cover what you came for.