Is the Eat Out To Help Out scheme valid on Bank Holiday Monday?

Restaurant scheme has been running throughout August to encourage people to eat out post-lockdown

Diners enjoy their drinks at a restaurant in London on 3 August 2020 as Eat Out to Help Out scheme begins (TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)

In July, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme in a bid to encourage members of the public to return to restaurants post-lockdown.

In addition to reducing VAT in the hospitality and tourism sector from 20 per cent to 5 per cent until 12 January 2021, Mr Sunak revealed that throughout August, people in the UK were entitled to 50 per cent off their meals when they dine at participating restaurants.

The discount allows customers a maximum discount of £10 off per person, including children, and is available to claim on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the month.

However, as the final Monday of August is a bank holiday, some people may be unsure whether the Eat Out to Help Out scheme will be valid to use.

Is the Eat Out to Help Out scheme valid on Bank Holiday Monday?

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The Eat Out to Help Out scheme officially began on Monday 3 August.

The initiative is running up to 31 August, with the final day of the month included in the scheme.

Therefore, members of the public who wish to dine out on Bank Holiday Monday will still be entitled to 50 per cent off their meals if they eat at participating restaurants.

The only difference might be that some restaurants change their opening hours – or do not open at all – because of the bank holiday. So make sure to check ahead of time.

“You do not need a voucher to use this scheme and you can use it at the same time as other offers and discounts. There is no minimum spend,” it states on the government’s website.

Alcoholic drinks and service charges are not included in the promotion.

How to find out which restaurants are participating in the scheme

In order to find out which restaurants near you are participating in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, all you need to do is enter your postcode on the dedicated page on the government’s website.

Once you click enter, you will receive up to 100 results within a five-mile radius of restaurants where you can get 50 per cent off your bill from Mondays to Wednesdays throughout August.

The government stresses that if you are in an area where a local lockdown has been established, you should continue to follow lockdown guidelines.

“Local restaurants may not be open and could still appear in the results when you use the restaurant finder tool,” it states.