The TheFork Hack: How My Broke Friends Eat Out in Amsterdam

My friend Chloe eats out in Amsterdam four times a week. Chloe also makes a teacher's salary. When I asked her how she affords this, she looked at me like I was stupid and said "TheFork. Obviously."

I had no idea what she was talking about. Turns out TheFork is an app — owned by Tripadvisor — that lets you book restaurants with deals. We are talking 20, 30, sometimes 50 percent off the regular menu price. Not sketchy off-menu stuff. The actual menu, at a discount, because the restaurant wants to fill tables during quieter times.

How It Works

Download the TheFork app (it is free). Search for restaurants in Amsterdam. You will see which ones have current deals — usually a percentage off the food bill. Book through the app, show up, eat, and the discount is applied automatically. You do not need to show a coupon or do anything awkward. The restaurant knows you booked through TheFork.

The deals rotate and change. A restaurant might have 30 percent off on a Tuesday but full price on a Saturday. That is the game — you eat out on the nights when the deals are good, and you discover new restaurants in the process. Chloe has found some of her favorite spots this way.

The New User Hack

Here is the real tip that Chloe shared: new TheFork users get 1000 Yums for free when they sign up with a referral code. 1000 Yums equals 20 euros off a meal. That is a free appetizer or dessert or a significant chunk off your dinner bill on your very first booking.

The referral code is 7BFA188B. Sign up, enter the code, and you start with 20 euros. Chloe has given this code to every friend who visits Amsterdam and they all use it.

You also earn Yums every time you book and dine through the app. After a few restaurants, you have enough for another discount. It compounds. Chloe has basically built a side economy around TheFork Yums. She is weirdly proud of this.

Which Amsterdam Restaurants Are on TheFork?

More than you would expect. We are not talking about just tourist traps — plenty of genuinely good Amsterdam restaurants use TheFork to fill tables on slower nights. You will find everything from casual bistros to higher-end spots.

A few examples of places my friends have booked through TheFork with deals:

• Nice mid-range restaurants in De Pijp and Oud-West
• Indonesian rijsttafel spots (which can be pricey, so the discount really helps)
• Wine bars with food menus
• Date night restaurants where 30 percent off makes the evening much more affordable

The app also shows ratings and reviews, so you can check what other diners thought before you book.

When to Use It

TheFork is most useful for:

• Weeknight dinners — this is when the biggest discounts happen
• Lunch — many restaurants offer lunch deals that are even better than dinner
• Trying new places — the discount lowers the risk of trying somewhere unknown
• Groups — the savings add up fast when you are four or five people

It is less useful for:

• Weekend dinner at a popular restaurant (usually no deal available)
• Very high-end restaurants (most are not on the platform)
• Places you already know and love at full price (though some are on there)

The Math

Let me do what Chloe does and break it down. Say you eat out four times during your Amsterdam trip. Without TheFork, at an average of 35 euros per person per meal, that is 140 euros. With TheFork deals averaging 25 percent off, that drops to 105 euros. Plus your 20 euro new user bonus. So you are at 85 euros for four meals that would have cost 140. That is 55 euros saved. Chloe calls this "wine money."

Practical Tips

• Book at least a few hours ahead for the best selection
• Some deals require a minimum number of diners (usually 2)
• The discount applies to food only, not drinks (at most places)
• You can cancel up to a few hours before without penalty
• Check the deal details — some are "off the menu" and some are "off the total bill"

This is not a glamorous travel tip. It is not going to end up on Instagram. But it is the kind of practical, money-saving trick that locals actually use, and it will make your Amsterdam food budget stretch significantly further. Chloe would want you to know.