MEAL DEAL
Is the Eat Out to Help Out scheme being extended after today?
YESTERDAY was the last day for Brits to get up to 50% off meals with the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.
But could the initiative be extended beyond August? We take a look.
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Enthusiastic diners have made the most of the money-saving scheme set up by chancellor Rishi Sunak to encourage people to go out and eat again following lockdown.
Eat Out to Help Out saw Brits enjoy 50% off food and non-alcoholic drinks, up to a maximum of £10 per person, every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in August.
Businesses then claimed back the money they’d discounted from the government.
The scheme was a big success, with more than 64million meals claimed by August 27 - the latest figures available.
It was hoped this would help to protect the jobs of the hospitality industry’s 1.8million employees by encouraging people to return to local restaurants, cafes and pubs where social-distancing rules allowed.
How did the Eat Out to Help Out scheme work?
THE government covered half of the cost of a meal out, up to £10 per person, including children's meals.
The discount meant that a meal out for one that cost £20 was reduced to £10, but a £25 meal for one was slashed to £15 because of the £10 cap per person.
There was no limit to the number of times you could use the discount, so in theory you could get half price meals on every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in August.
Businesses needed to register with the scheme on Gov.uk before being able to offer the discount, as well as be Food Standards Agency approved.
Instead of issuing discount vouchers - which the government felt increased the risk of fraud - restaurants, cafes and pubs were able to claim back the cash.
The refund was then transferred into restaurants, cafes and pubs' bank accounts within five working days.
Around 80% of hospitality firms stopped trading in April, with 1.4million workers furloughed, according to government data - the highest of any sector.
When did Eat Out to Help Out end?
Eat Out to Help Out ended on Monday, August 31 - so yesterday was the last day you could participate in the scheme.
Lots of major chains said they'd still run the scheme this day, despite it being August's bank holiday Monday.
Eat Out to Help Out only ran on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The scheme started on Monday, August 3.
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Which places offered Eat Out to Help Out?
We've rounded-up a list of restaurants that took part in Eat Out to Help Out.
Some of the big-name brands that offered the deal include McDonald's, Costa and KFC.
The government also released an Eat Out to Help Out postcode checker where you could see which places near you offered it.
Not every restaurant was automatically included in the scheme - businesses had to apply to take part.
Nearly 200 chain restaurants and larger cafes, hotels, and local councils signed up to the scheme across the UK - and there were smaller businesses and independent firms signed up too.
Will Eat Out to Help Out be extended?
Both the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and diners alike have called on ministers to extend Eat Out to Help Out into September.
FSB chairman, Mike Cherry, said: "We now need to see it extended to continue the critical support that it is providing for small firms as we enter a period of economic make or break.
"As we enter September with schools reopening and more people going back to their places of work, there are still strong merits to continuing this for one more month."
The FSB added that after September the scheme should be "reactivated" in areas that have gone through local lockdowns.
Last week, nearly two thirds of Brits also called on Rishi Sunak to extend the scheme into September.
But sadly the government hasn't announced any plans for Eat Out to Help Out to be extended beyond August.
A HM Treasury spokesperson said: “Part of Eat Out to Help Out's popularity is precisely because it is a time-limited scheme – this reminds and encourages people to safely return to going out.
“The scheme complements a wider package of hospitality support that goes beyond August, including cutting VAT to 5%, paying the wages of furloughed staff, business rates relief and billions in tax deferrals and loans.”
However, some restaurants have opted to extend the offer into September and October at their own expense.
Will some restaurants continue to offer Eat Out to Help Out after August?
Some restaurants have said they will continue the scheme after August 31, but this is very much on a case-by-case basis.
Businesses don't have to do this and any discounts they do offer can't be reclaimed from the government.
Pub owners Brains are extending their scheme until September 9.
UK chains Harvester, Tesco Cafe and Toby Carvery are among those who have said they will continue the scheme for part or all of September.
Plus, Wetherspoons is cutting prices by up to 48% until November as the government scheme comes to an end.
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Restaurants weren't the only places to get in on the deal - tearooms also offered half-price treats.
Read More on The Sun
Nando's was one of the many chains that took part - see the full list of its discounts here.
Some restaurants were forced to pull out of the scheme though after "rude diners abused staff".
This Morning's Alice Beer exposes loophole diners can use to get Eat Out to Help Out discount on takeaways
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