Date Night Dining in Under 40 Minutes + Big Announcement!!!
This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and BJ’s Restaurants, but all my opinions are my own. #DineInOrderAhead #pmedia http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
My husband and I are both completely last minute planners. When it comes to planning for our date nights, usually I look around about 3 in the afternoon and decide I have no energy to cook and tonight is the perfect night to sneak away with my sweetheart! This past week, my midwife gave us the order form to go and get an ultrasound. I was really excited to find out if baby #5 would be a boy or a girl. When I called up to make an appointment, they had availability that evening which sounded perfect for a last minute planner like me and for one who really didn’t want to wait any longer to find out if we were going for pink or blue!
Since we would be planning a weeknight date which included an hour long ultrasound appointment and a 45 minute commute each way, I knew we would need to sneak in our date night dining in as little time as possible so we wouldn’t keep our young babysitter out too late.
This made it the perfect opportunity to try out BJ’s Restaurant and their new app with the Dine in Order Ahead feature that lets you pick out and pre-order your entire meal right from the app. We had our whole meal planned before we even left our driveway on our date.
The app is really easy to navigate and make selections and I really appreciated the images showing me exactly what I would be ordering along with a description and pricing. I loved that by the time I finished selecting my items, I knew exactly what my order total would be for our date night.
We ordered two entrees, a drink, and dessert for just over $40. Best of all, when we got to BJ’s, they pulled up our order and we didn’t even have to crack open the menu once, though I had to peek as this was my first time visiting BJ’s. We did ask to add a side ceasar salad to split and I had to go for their signature root beer as well. It was really easy to add on items to our check, it was a completely seamless experience for us.
Having all of our food already picked out gave us more time to talk and a lot less time waiting. Our salad and drinks were at our table within a few minutes each and we were able to chat about the first half of our date and really enjoy our time talking rather than stewing over what to pick and than impatiently waiting for our food to start arriving.
All of the food was absolutely delicious! I ordered Southern Fried Chicken which came served with mashed potatoes and corn and everything tasted great together. It is definitely an entree I’ll order again.
We also asked our waitress if she could top our Pizookie dessert with blueberries, to show off our exciting news! You may not be able to tell from the bottom ultrasound pictures, but baby #5 is a BOY!! Yup, we are expecting another boy. I was pretty shocked, I thought I was having a girl this time as my morning sickness was completely different with all day nausea instead of early morning puking I’ve had with my previous pregnancies. My 5 year old tells me, “Mom, I think your belly only knows how to make boys!” Must be true.
After dining, I always start feeling antsy for my check so I’m not tied to the bill arriving in order to leave. The Mobile Pay option lets you check out right from the app at your convenience. Our bill was updated to reflect not only the drink and salad we added to our order, but also a $5 off coupon that was offered just for using Mobile Pay! The promotional offer was on a flyer right at our table, and our waitress even pointed it out to us. Score for finding a deal! Paying from the app is a huge time saver. You could totally dine with an entree only meal in 20 minutes or less with Dine In Order Ahead and paying with Mobile Pay if you’re trying to sneak in BJ’s restaurant during a workday lunch break.
We were there about 35-40 minutes with an appetizer, dessert, and adding on a few extras, that’s the fastest I have ever been in and out of a restaurant — and best of all I didn’t feel rushed but instead I felt like I got more quality time to talk and enjoy our date night without some of common slow points of dining out.
BJ’s Restaurant app is available for both iPhone (with ios 7) and on Android. If you love BJ’s, you’ll love this app. It not only saves you time but you can start earning rewards, too!
How exciting! Congrats! The app is really cool and one day I’m going to get a smartphone!
YAY! Congrats!!!
Congratulations on your baby boy !
I love the idea of being able to preorder before getting to the restaurant.
It would definitely save us time and hassle when going out with the kids.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
Omg Congratulations! I bet you can’t wait to meet him! Such a blessing!
Congratulations!
That sounds awesome! Congrats on the new baby. I have never been to bj’s, but maybe I will check it our.
I am SO excited for you guys! I can’t wait to follow your updates, congratulations!!
You are both smiling like you had a wonderful time!! Thanks so much for sharing about everything. The food looks yummy too. So neat about your babies too!!
Super congrats!!!! I just love that mobile app feature. What a fun way to celebrate!
I don’t mind poring over the menu when I get there, but that mobile pay option is superb! I absolutely love that!
I wish I had a BJ’s and CONGRATS! How fun!
aww congratulations!! What a perfect date night!
BJ’s app is awesome. All restaurants should have an app like this. Congrats on your baby boy! YAY!!!!!
The chicken looks delicious! Congratulations on finding out it’s a boy!
Awwwwww!!! Congratulations! I am so excited for you! 🙂 SO EXCITED!
I know I said it on Instagram already but congratulations again Janel!
Double thanks 🙂
I’m cracking up at your son! “I think your belly only knows how to make boys”, lol.
How cool! Congrats! Great way to celebrate.
What an awesome app! I hope somewhere near me thinks of this idea, soon! And YAY for another BOY! Congratulations!
I love BJ’s, I wish they had this restarant down here! Congrats – we have 5 kids too!
This is just awesome. BJ’s is one of our favorite restaurants and is actually where we were thinking of going for our anniversary!
Congrats on the newest addiction! And I love the idea of a fast date night! That app really makes it sweet!
That is a cool idea, I’d love for many restaurants to have an app like this. Also – CONGRATS!!!
Congrats on your fifth boy! That Pizookie looks good, especially with your celebratory blueberries!
Congratulations! I haven’t had a date night in quite a while.
Congratulations on your #5, how exciting! All 3 of you had a great dinner.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! That is great news. I only have two (boys) and I think you are so brave to have FIVE!!
So awesome! About the app AND the baby boy! This app was totally made for me. I HATE to wait. =D
congrats on the baby! how exciting 😉
Awesome! Congratulations!
Congratulations!!!That is wonderful!!
Congrats on your newest pregnancy!
Congrats! I announced my pregnancy to my husband at a BJs!
What a nice dinner out, and you showed your sonogram and it is Baby #5! How exciting! I really think that is great and admire you as a Great Mother!
AH! So exciting!! Congrats 🙂
Congratulations on your news about your baby boy. I love the idea of ordering before you even get to the restaurant. I have a big family and when we go out it is such a pain in the neck just to order food. This would save so much time and we would all just love it to have the food ready when we get there.
Congratulations on your baby boy!!!
Congratulations on the baby boy! You do make perfect BOYS!
Congrats on boy #5, so exciting!