Wetherspoon pubs MoneySaving tips & tricks

Even though 'Spoons is already comparatively cheaper than many other pub chains, we've still managed to serve up a few tips and tricks for slashing costs further. For other offers on eating or drinking out, see our Restaurant Deals round-up.

As we always say with boozy offers, please be Drinkaware.

7.5% off ALL food & drink for one day (excludes booze in Scotland)

If you're gathering some friends for a meal, or perhaps a post-work pint on Thu 19 Sep only, you'll be able to get 7.5% off all food and drink at Wetherspoon pubs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, the discount will be on all food, soft drinks and hot drinks, but not alcoholic drinks due to Scottish law. Pubs at airports are excluded entirely.

While it's not a massive saving, 'Spoons has only offered this widespread discount once a year for the past two years. The menus will be priced as normal but the 7.5% will be taken off automatically when you pay either at the bar or through the Wetherspoon app – it's all day and includes breakfast and meal deals such as Thursday's usual 'Curry Club' promo.

Walk down the road to get the same food for up to 44% less

With over 900 Wetherspoon pubs across the UK, it's no surprise that some, especially in big cities, are within walking distance or a short drive of one another. What might surprise you is that we've found at some of these closely located 'Spoons, the exact same meal can cost you up to 44% less at one pub compared to the other down the road.

In Liverpool city centre, freshly battered fish & chips is on the menu at The Richard John Blackler Wetherspoon for £9.90, but only 0.3 miles away (about a six-minute walk) is The Lime Kiln Wetherspoon which has the exact same battered fish & chips on its menu for £7.15 – that's £2.75 cheaper – plus you get a 'free' drink with it (including beer or wine) which can add up to another £3ish saving on top if you'd have got a drink anyway.

In Durham, The Bishop's Mill Wetherspoon has British beef chilli on the menu for £6.40. Just 0.4 miles away (about a seven-minute walk), The Water House Wetherspoon has the same British beef chilli on its menu for £3.59 – this is £2.81 cheaper and a 44% saving for a few minutes' walk.

While we've picked out just one popular dish from the pubs we checked, we noticed price disparity across multiple menu items. Of course, this isn't an exact science and there may not always be price variance where you are, but if you've two or more Wetherspoon pubs nearby, it's worth comparing the menus online (you'll need to select a specific pub first) to see where you can get your meal cheapest.

This isn't unique to Wetherspoon pubs – in March, MSE Jordon spotted how to unlock restaurant savings just by popping down the road at other big chains such as Harvester, Hungry Horse, and TGI Fridays.

This is just one of our guides on how to save on the cost of eating out. For more menu hacks, see McDonald's, Nando's, and Burger King. Plus, check out MSE Sarah's guide on how to get free or cheap food.

'Free' unlimited hot drink refills

If you fancy a tea or coffee, you can get free unlimited refills all day every day from the self-service drinks machines in Wetherspoon pubs.

The bottomless brew includes Lavazza coffee such as flat white, latte, cappuccino, and Americano, as well as tea (all dependent on availability) – which normally cost £1-£1.50ish, depending on the pub. It excludes hot chocolate and takeaway drinks. For more ways to get a free cuppa, see Free Tea & Coffee Deals.

Beat queues or get treated by an absent friend with the 'Spoons app

Traditionally you order everything in 'Spoons at the bar, which can get crowded during lunchtimes, evenings and weekends. Yet if you download the free Wetherspoon app for Android or iOS, you can order food and drinks to be brought to your table, and pay within the app – beating the queues.

There's no minimum spend and prices in the app are the same as you pay at the bar, and it includes all the meal deals, though some have said the app can miss out a few drinks such as guest ales.

The app's especially useful at peak times, if you're dining alone and don't want to lose your table, or you're with kids you can't leave while you go to the bar. Plus we've found from experience that ordering via the app can often mean you receive drinks and meals quicker than when ordering at the bar.

Anyone can buy you a drink, even if they're not at the pub with you

To order through the Wetherspoon app, you just need to know which pub you're in and your table number. What this means, is anyone with the app can order drinks or food to your table – even if they're not in the pub with you.

So let's say you're at a 'Spoons pub having birthday drinks and there's a friend or family member who couldn't make it but still wants to buy you a drink – tell them which pub you're in and give them your table number and they can have a drink brought over to your table, which they'll have paid for in the app.

Some have abused this trick and posted their location and table number on social media, resulting in copious amounts of odd orders being sent to their table from strangers. While the thought of it's quite amusing, we're not recommending you do this.

Book a Wetherspoon pub wedding for £4,500 ALL-IN

Yes, believe it or not, you can tie the knot at a Wetherspoon – sip, sip, hooray. It may not be everyone's idea of their dream wedding day, but for £4,500 you'll get a wedding planner, flowers and table decorations thrown in, plus a three-course meal or buffet with wine for 100 people, a DJ, and room for up to 200 extra guests in the evening.

Plus, this isn't just any 'Spoons – it's at The Knights Templar – a swanky pub in a 12th century old banking hall in the heart of London. It's not quite Windsor Castle, but it does have golden-topped pillars, a knight in shining armour on the wall behind the bar, and some very posh loos, so it feels at least a little bit regal inside.

You'll get exclusive use of the venue until 1am on Sunday if your wedding's on a Saturday, or 12.30am on Monday if you get married on Sunday – although children have to leave by 9.30pm on both days. It has a marriage licence, so you can even say your vows there, though you'll need to pay the registrar separately, which can cost from £300.

If you think this offer could help you live hoppily ever after, you can call The Knights Templar on 020 7831 2660 to enquire. We checked similar wedding packages at a nearby venue, which started at £14,500, so if you're happy to celebrate your big day at a 'Spoons pub, it's a decent deal. For 50+ other tips to cut the cost of getting hitched, see our Weddings on a Budget guide.

If London doesn't suit, many other Wetherspoon pubs have function rooms available to hire, so there's nothing stopping you throwing your big bash there – though prices will vary.

Do you have any tips or tricks for saving money at your local Wetherspoon pub? Let us know in the comments below, or on Twitter @MSE_Deals.