DENVER (KDVR) — The next few months could be a struggle for many area restaurants as they continue to rebound from pandemic losses while dealing with staff and supply shortages.

Fortunately, there are ways you can still support your favorite eatery while saving yourself some money in the process.

According to industry insiders, one of the best ways to do that is to order your food directly from the restaurant. Whether that’s on their website or over the phone.

Third-party delivery apps take about 30-40% commission on some orders, according to experts.

Another tip: offer to pay for your food with cash.

Oftentimes credit card fees are the second-largest expense items for restaurants.

“The reason why that’s good for the restaurant and the patron is because the restaurant can keep costs down and then also pass that on to you, which is important as you watch your wallet,” said Saleem Khatri, CEO of Lavu.

Experts say there’s a new trend going on called, ’The Cash Discount Program’, where eateries will slash your bill a bit if you do pay in cash.

Also, consider buying gift cards from your favorite restaurants and handing them out as gifts this holiday season.

“Gift cards have an amazing ROY (Return On Yield) of 121%. So if I bought a $100 gift card from a restaurant and gave it to a family member, they are likely to go and spend $121 at that restaurant or they might just forget to spend the money altogether! So again, that’s a win for the restaurant,” said Khatri.