P.F. Chang’s Has All-New Deals for Fall — Plus Cozy Lettuce Wrap Blanket

Though it seems like all the summer high school graduation parties were only yesterday, it’s already time for those grads to head off to college for the fall semester — and the college student in your life probably doesn’t need another copy of Oh, the Places You’ll Go! taking up precious space in their dorm room. Instead, P.F. Chang’s has a better idea: a Lettuce Wrap blanket inspired by the restaurant chain’s popular menu item.

Available for a limited time at LettuceWraps.com (wow, they got the domain and everything), the Lettuce Wrap blanket will cost $24.99 and is being touted as a “dorm room essential” by a P.F. Chang’s press release. When purchasing, there’s an option to tack on a $25 P.F. Chang’s gift card so that the recipient can order food for takeout or delivery. Or hey, maybe they will dine in and use it as an opportunity to bond with roommates.

The Lettuce Wraps blanket is just one way for P.F. Chang’s to highlight its larger set of promotions this fall—a menu full of meal deals “designed for students, families, and educators.” Let’s take a closer look at each.

Back-to-School Bundle

This family-style meal, available for dine-in, delivery, or takeout, includes three courses and is designed to feed a group of varying size. Simply choose between soup or salad, select an app for everyone to share, and order an entree for each person, for a cost of about $20 per head (pricing varies by location). There are three different apps — yes, including Lettuce Wraps — and 10 entrees to choose from, plus extra sides or desserts that can be tacked on for an additional fee. 

New Value Menu Items

Three new options have been added to the value menu. The Teriyaki Chicken and Teriyaki Beef both feature meat tossed with pineapple, broccoli, onion, peppers, sesame seeds, and teriyaki sauce. The Firecracker Shrimp is tossed with peppers and onion and coated in sweet chili butter. 

Chang’s Cash Rewards

Chang’s Ca$h is the latest iteration of the P.F. Chang’s Rewards loyalty program, and there’s a limited-time incentive to sign up. Right now, enrollees will receive a $15 credit toward a future order. Thereafter, eligible purchases of $60 or more will earn 15% in Chang’s Ca$h, which can be redeemed like a gift card on dine-in visits. Members also get a free dessert or appetizer when they visit during their birthday month. 

$5 Happy Hour Deals

P.F. Chang’s features a full bar, and it has launched an All Day Every Day Happy Hour Menu whose drinks only ever cost $5. These include select wine, beer, and cocktails such as the Zen Margarita and the Pink Lotus Cosmo. (This deal is, of course, dine-in only and unavailable for takeout or delivery.)

Free Treat for Kids

This is another dine-in-only offer, but it’ll make the prospect of dining out as a family a lot easier: Kids under 12 receive a free ice cream with any purchase. 

P.F. Chang’s is placing its value options front and center this season, and it’s far from the only chain to do so. In an era of increased frustration with the high cost of dining out, brands are looking to assuage customers by highlighting all the best ways to save money on a restaurant meal.

It started with the fast food chains, as McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s rolled out value bundles between $3 and $5. Next, the sit-down spots got in on the strategy: Hooters released a $10 lunch combo and TGI Fridays presented the chance to win a year’s worth of free food. Even Starbucks, famously averse to positioning itself as a fast food restaurant, has begun offering a “Pairing Menu” with a discount bundle price when you order a food item and a beverage in tandem. 

Back-to-school is a busy time for just about everyone, and it’s a smart move for any business to capitalize on our lack of free time with a well-placed promotion. Admit it: After reading this, aren’t you a little tempted to skip out on cooking tonight and just order some strategically priced takeout?