Branson Meal Deal: Branson Imax Food Court

If you are planning to enjoy a film on a very, very large screen and would like to eat before or after the show then you have several choices without even leaving the building. Of course, you can always enjoy family dining at McFarlains (the subject of a past Meal Deal) but for those of you who feel like having a quicker, less expensive meal and/or have a family with diverse tastes then you might consider strolling over to the Imax's food court. If you do, today's meal deal will highlight some offers that can save you money.

The food court features Breadaux Pizza, Quizno's Subs, and Baskin Robbins. A visit to the Branson Imax website presents you with several printable coupons, four of which are good for the food court. There are two coupons for 10% off your entire order good at any of the three. Having two of these coupons can come in handy if half of your family wants subs and the other half pizza, or if you all order food from the same place but decide you'd like ice cream for dessert as well.

The other two coupons are specifically for Breadaux Pizza: one gets you a medium, two-topping pizza for $7.99 while the other is good for a large, 3-topping pizza for $10.99. If you haven't tried Breadaux Pizza, be advised that the crust is more buttery than the typical pizza as it is French-style. I enjoy it, but not everybody might.

So, now the next time you go to the Imax you can purchase a post-movie pizza for about the same price as popcorn and finish it off with some discounted Baskin Robbins ice cream.

Thanks for reading!

Branson Hotels for Under $75: Twelve Oaks Inn

If you are looking for a clean hotel located near, but not on, the strip then Twelve Oaks Inn may be a good option for you. Twelve Oaks is located just off of Green Mountain Drive about one block away from the strip. The hotel grounds feature an outdoor pool as well as a playground and picnic area. The rooms are standard, but very clean, and are available at very reasonable rates. Over the summer you can get a single Queen room for $45.95 or a single King room for $54.95. Even their Jacuzzi suite, available for $69.95, comes in under $75. My wife and I have stayed in one of their jacuzzi suites before and can highly recommend it. These prices include a continental breakfast served in the hotel's lobby. I must warn you that if you are looking for a heartier breakfast you may want to use some of the money you safe to dine at one of the nearby breakfast buffets, but if you are happy with a quick donut before you head out for some fun then you'll be okay.

Now, if the listed prices are not enough to convince you then this may: Twelve Oaks offers a coupon on its website for $5 off your room. It cannot be used on holiday or special event weekends, but you can use it to get a single Queen room for only $40.95 on most nights (or splurge and get a Jacuzzi suite for only $64.95).

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Who Says There is No Such Thing as a Free Lunch...

With my birthday coming up and my e-mail box filling with birthday deals, I thought this would be a great time to highlight some of the free meals, desserts, or discounts available at Branson area restaurants.

(Please note that these deals are subject to change, but are accurate as of this post)

• Lambert's - Celebrate your birthday with tossed rolls, ten dollars off your meal, and a hubcap (a giant cinnamon roll) with a balloon attached. There is no coupon required, just show your driver's license on your birthday, and there are a few great entrees under ten dollars so you can get a free meal if you so choose. I highly recommend stopping by Lambert's for those in the Branson area on their birthday.
  
• Texas Land & Cattle Steakhouse - Free entree valued under $15. To get this coupon, you must sign up for their e-mail club.
• Fuddrucker's - The deals seem to vary, but this year it is a free shake. You must sign up for their Fudd's Club to get this deal.
• Cantina Laredo - If you join their e-club, they will wish you "Feliz Cumpleanos" and send you a coupon for a complementary Mexican Brownie.
• Cold Stone Creamery - Joining the Cold Stone Club gets you a coupon for a free ice cream creation.

Other restaurants will provide a complementary dessert and/or embarassment in the form of a song to the birthday girl or boy, just make sure you mention the occasion to your server. If I learn about more restaurants which offer birthday deals, I'll add them to this list so feel free to bookmark this post for reference when a family birthday rolls around.

Thanks for reading!

Branson Coupons in Springfield's "Passport to Fun"

The Convention and Visitors Bureau of Branson's neighbor to the north has a passport of coupons available on their website, three of which are of particular interest to Branson visitors:

• Buy One Regular Admission, Get One 1/2 Off at the Butterfly Palace
• $2 Off Ride the Ducks tickets for up to 4 adults
• Buy 3 Rides at The Track, Get One Free

There are also a few other non Branson coupons which may be of interest to those who drive through Springfield on the way to Branson. For those who make a stop at the original Bass Pro Shops a part of all their trips, there is a coupon for $5 off a purchase of $50 or more and a coupon for $1 off the breakfast, lunch or dinner buffet at Hemmingway's Blue Water Cafe inside Bass Pro. The original Incredible Pizza Company location, located a little south on Campbell from Bass Pro, is also a great dining destination if you are stopping in Springfield with a family and there is a coupon for $10 free game card dollars with the purchase of $10 game card dollars.

If you are planning to stop in Ozarks to dine at Lambert's, which I highly recommend, there is also a coupon for the Heather Hill Farms store located next door. They sell Osceola cheese and a range of other food and drink products, most of which are produced in Missouri. My wife and I enjoy browsing around the store while we are waiting for our table.

If you'd like to look at the rest of the coupons in the passport, click here.

Thanks for reading!

Branson Meal Deal: Plaza View Restaurant

Today's meal deal offers you a discount on dining with a view. The Plaza View is located on the top floor of the Grand Plaza Hotel (located on Wildwood drive just north of 76) and allows diners to gaze down upon Branson's lights. The Grand Plaza also offer diners free entertainment as Kenny Parrot performs nightly from 5:00-7:30.

The meal deal to allow you to enjoy the food and amenities at Plaza View requires a coupon, but is a simple discount: 10% off any order. No time limitations or restrictions other than it can not be used with other special offers.

Thanks for reading!

Meal Deal: Branson Outback

It took me awhile to learn this but the Outback Steak & Oyster Bar in Branson is not affiliated with the national Outback chain, it is purely a local establishment. For readers unfamiliar with Branson's Outback it is located on the strip and has three establishments together: the Outback Roadhouse Motel & Suites, the Outback Steak & Oyster Bar, and the Outback Pub.

Today's Meal Deal features lunch coupons for both the Outback restaurant and pub. These coupons are both buy one lunch entree, get one half off (lunch being defined as 11-3).

Their lunch menu offers steak, ribs, and a range of sandwiches including Gator Tail. If you've never eaten gator tail, I'd highly recommend trying it. I had to be cajoled into trying it at first, but it is actually very good and if nothing else it offers you a different culinary experience that you can tell your friends about.

Thanks for reading!

Gas Buster Discount Cards Return!

They are back! Starting June 1st, if you bring a valid driver's license and a minimum of $40 in gas receipts (from the preceding 48 hours) to the Branson Chamber and CVB Visitors Center (located on 248 near Highway 65) then you will receive a Gas Buster Discount Card. The discount card is good for a total of $50 off of dining, lodging, attractions, retail shops, and restaurants. With gas prices edging back upwards, this is a welcome reward for investing in fuel for the drive to Branson. This promotion runs until September 30th so if you spend over $40 in fuel on any Branson trip this summer, make sure to stop by the Visitors Center to claim your reward.

Thanks for reading!

15% Off Discount for Myer Hotels

If you are planning a stay at a hotel owned by the award-winning Myer Hotels group, you can receive a coupon for 15% off your stay in exchange for your name, zip code, and e-mail address. To receive this coupon, and future promotions from Myer Hotels, simply sign up for their e-Club here.

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Meal Deal: Grand Country Buffet

If you've never been to the Grand Country Buffet, it is located inside Grand Country Square and is worth trying (provided you like buffets). Everytime I've been there it has been very clean, the food is good, and it is nicely decorated. It is also the only buffet I've ever been to which offers some tables with a golf course view (the indoor miniature golf course which is next door).

The Grand Country Meal Deal is another lunch deal with a coupon: buy one lunch buffet, get one half-off (good from 11-3, Monday through Friday).

This provides an inexpensive option to get a quick full lunch, although you'll likely be tempted to stay and eat more than you plan.

Thanks for reading and happy dinning!

Meal Deal: McFarlain's

McFarlain's, located in the Branson Imax complex, is a sit-down restaurant which is best known for its breakfast food but offers good country fare for lunch and dinner as well. You can see there menu (with prices) here.

McFarlain's lunch or dinner Meal Deal is two pot roast dinners for $16.99 plus tax and tip and the breakfast meal deal is buy one entree, get one half-off. Both of these coupons are avaliable here.

If you're planning to swing by for lunch or dinner and pot roast isn't your cup of tea, not to worry as you can also find a coupon here for 10% off your order allowing you to still save while ordering whatever you'd like.

Thanks for reading and happy dining!

Meal Deal: Montana Mike's

Note: Meal Deals will be a new feature on this blog where I will highlight what I view as impressive meal deals (hence the name) available in Branson. Sometimes these will require coupons (which I will provide links to when possible) sometimes they will not.

The inaugural meal deal features Montana Mike's (menu with prices). For those of you that have not visited Montana Mike's, it is part of a national chain but they do offer some pretty good steaks and prices.

The deal I am highlighting today is a lunch deal (available from 11:00-2:30), so those of you looking for a dinner destination will have to wait for our next installment. If you are looking for a great lunch at a low price you can print off this coupon for buy one "City Slicker" lunch special get one half-off.

Some of the deals you can get with this coupon include:
Two Six Ounce Sirloin Steaks with your choice of potato and a dinner salad (which I can tell you from previous visits is pretty large) for $12 plus tax and tip
Two Rib Baskets with Fries for about $11 plus tax and tip
Two Burger Baskets with Fries for $7.50 plus tax and tip
Or for the health conscious: Two "All-You-Want" Soup and Salad for about $8 plus tax and tip

Happy dining and if any of you would like to submit your own suggestion for a Meal Deal or share a dining experience, please leave a comment.

Thanks for reading!