How to Save Money at Frozen Yogurt Restaurants

The increase in frozen yogurt franchises across America is testament to the spread of this popular trend. Varying in names by the region of the nation, most of these frozen yogurt establishments fall into two categories according to the way that their yogurt is sold/priced. There are those restaurants that sell their frozen yogurt (and toppings) in fixed volumes for a set price and there are those that allow customers to "self-serve" themselves their own frozen yogurt and toppings and purchase their concoctions according to the overall weight of the dessert. While the "best deal" for these different places will obviously depend on the specific prices offered at the frozen yogurt establishments in your particular region of the nation, there are a few ways to get the most yogurt for your money at the latter of the two types of frozen yogurt establishments.

First of all, take advantage of the "sample" options! Many of these frozen yogurt places offer a wide variety of unique flavors; Peach Wave in Oklahoma offers everything from mango to green tea flavored frozen yogurt. The temptation with this set up is for customers to add many different flavors to their yogurt bowl, just to "try them out." Don't do this if you want to save money. Instead, use the smaller sample containers or sample spoons to test out smaller quantities of each flavor that you are interested in before you fill your final selection bowl. This way you are not wasting any weight on purchasing a flavor you might not want, or one that might not be complementary to the other flavors you choose to fill your bowl with.

Next, realize that the ounces of frozen yogurt add up a whole lot faster than you'd think. This is how the companies stay in business. Since most frozen yogurt places sell their yogurt by the ounce or half ounce, do all that you can to try to get the weight of your dessert (including the toppings) to just below or right at the ounce or half ounce (whichever your particular franchise charges according to). This way you'll be getting the "best bang for your buck" without paying extra for going a little bit over the ounce mark.

Finally, thick critically about how your choice in toppings will affect the price of your dessert. Most people focus only on limiting the amount of frozen yogurt that they pile into their bowls and then dump on their favorite toppings with little thought. Don't do this or you may be paying much more for your dish than you initially anticipated. Realize that some toppings will simply weigh much more than other toppings; sprinkles and almonds are far lighter than fruit slices. While the frozen yogurt experience certainly includes individualized toppings on every serving, you can definitely save your money by choosing lighter toppings. You'll then mostly be mostly spending your money on frozen yogurt, which is the primary purpose of your dessert outing in the first place.

As frozen yogurt establishments continue to pop up over the nation, think carefully about your choices at these locations. Careful planning can help you enjoy this delicious dessert at relatively low prices.