We eat lunch out because of the price. Cheaper and smaller portions. Breakfast also is cheaper.
We just got back from our daughter’s in Philly. Eating out was so expensive. I think we got a cheese steak for under 12 and a falafel sandwich. Mexican is always a good value.
Here in a small town in Michigan, we frequently pay under $12 for lunch. Soup and half a sandwich. Can get a big breakfast meal for lunch. The two of us can get tacos plus soft drinks for that. Most places are either fast food or locally owned here.
Local Thai restaurant has several dishes priced at $11.95 including Pad Thai, Larb, and Stir Fry dishes.
The Indian food truck has Daal, Chicken Biryani, or Curry of the Day for $11. Samosa Chat is $9. Seating is at picnic tables. Sit-down Indian restaurants offer appetizers for less than $12.
Mediterranean cafe - a good portion of the menu is under $12. Gyro, pita, sandwiches, many salads.
Subway, McAlister’s, and Capriotti’s have sandwiches under $12.
Local fish restaurant - 1 catfish and 1 chicken strip plus hush puppies and fries for $10.25, if you want more healthy options you could get grilled rainbow trout with grilled veggies, beans, and rice for $10.49.
Find another person to go. Buy a meal for $24 or less and split. We do that with some of the local Chinese restaurants.
There’s a local diner. Almost a dive. A local family with a farm owns it. They serve breakfast and lunch. Pretty much eggs, pancakes, potatoes, bacon and sausage in various forms. Under $12 and very good. Coffee and soda is where they get you.
I agree that splitting food for $24 is easier than finding a meal for $12. Getting a pizza and splitting it, for example or getting a pizza and salad to share at Pieology.
I agree that dining out prices have risen, making dining at home much better in the budget.
Having appetizers at happy hour is another way of getting inexpensive food, if they offer things that appeal. Often happy hour prices for food are significantly lower than regular prices.
Several nearby restaurants has a great chili you can have in a bowl with rice or grilled cornbread for under $12.
Many breakfast places have entrees for <$12, sone even include coffee.
Mexican and ethnic restaurants in general are most likely to be possibilities, and some happy hours, although our favorites are still at least $10 for an appetizer size portion.
At Fast Eddie’s, a fun diner in Winthrop, ME, almost everything on the menu is under $12, almost doesn’t matter what you order. DH likes the red hot dogs, I generally do the haddock filet, but the milkshakes are the biggest draw.
You can still get Thai food at casual restaurant for under $12 for a main course and rice. You order at counter and can sit at their table and chairs. They will give you a cup for water if you request. If you order a beverage, you are >$12
We have an excellent family run Mexican restaurant down the street. I usually get the Strawberry salad for $10 or this for $12 -
Vegetariano
Grilled vegetables (zucchini, spinach, corn, mushrooms, and fajita veggies) served over rice, black beans, cheese mix, and lettuce. Topped with Frida’s salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream
I second this. We really no longer need two entrees. DW never eats all hers and brings some home. So we are doing some of this. Also I like looking at the soups and house salads with a side we might like to share. One place if you order a side of tots they give you a ton.
But our Chinese place is still the go to. We get a large order of something and some eggrolls and done.
Looking at a few menus for places we frequent. We are mostly vegetarian.
I can get a veggie burger ($10.49) or an entree sized salad ($9.99) for under $12 at a fave restaurant.
I can get Veggie Lo Mein ($11.95) or Tofu with Vegetables ($11.95) from Chinese place although I often like to get Buddha’s Delight off the Chinese menu and that’s $14.95. Very tasty though.
My daughter loves the veggie chimichanga from one of the Mexican places ($11.50). I got the veggie enchilada ($5.95) and a side of rice ($3.95) last time. That is more than enough for me. If I get the veggie chimichanga I have to save it for the next day. Way too much food for me. My daughter saves half of hers too.
Sometimes we get sushi from the sushi place. I like an 8 piece spicy crunchy vegetable roll ($5.50) or avocado roll ($5). If we’re feeling cheap we’ll do the 6 piece cucumber rolls for $1.50. They do a nice 4 piece avocado special roll for $3.
Another local Cali-Mex place has burritos (big, too) starting at $7.50 for beans, cheese, lettuce, salsa fresca (pico). You can add fillings and it costs more according to their costs. We like their Tofu a la Mexican which is an extra $4, so $11.50. Carne Asada is also $4, but we don’t usually get that. Sweet potatoes with caramelized onion is $2 more. Sometimes I just get two tacos because the burritos are more than I can finish. Two tacos starts at $4 and you add fillings like the burritos. If I get two with fillings it’s under $8.
My daughter likes to order from a greek falafel place with friends. Their online ordering is down right now, but I see they have a lunch special for a chicken yeero (their spelling), fries or a salad, and a Pepsi for $9.49.
There are plenty of places where I can over $12, but I can do an under $12 meal pretty easily too.
This is borderline on the grocery store rule, but sometimes we like to stop at the food counter at Sam’s for a budget lunch . Hot dog (or pizza) with drink is about $2. Back when we had a soccer kid and Sam’s was far a way, we’d do same when games scheduled in the vicinity.
Side story: It turns out we have like-minded frugal friends, and a few months ago we were tickled to have a spontaneous lunch with dear friends we had not seen since before Covid. Sadly she had long been battling cancer and passed away a few months later. Gotta say, stopping for that lunch was our most cherished $4 expenditure ever.
We do pickup but they do have dine in at a place called Chicken Ranch. They serve mesquite cooked chicken and triptip. We get the chicken burritos but they also have plates for around $10.00. We don’t finish the burrito and have leftovers for lunch. Served with chips and free salsa. We drink water.
It’s probably the cheapest place we get food from. Last week I had a kale vegetarian burger from a place that walk up and the burger alone was 20.00.
There is a grocery store close to Midway Airport in Chicago that has a grill and prepared food that rivals most mid-priced restaurants and especially chains. They have great Mexican and Polish choices serving the community. I miss working by there. I could eat like a king for $12 there.
Our prices here in Iowa are probably lower than they are in most of your locales, but it is still a challenge. A $12 budget precludes sit-down restaurants here unless one doesn’t order a drink or tip very much. The options for $10-and-under plates is fairly meager. You might eke out a bowl of soup or chili, soda, tax and $2 tip with your twelve bucks. Or a dinner salad. Or a smallish appetizer.
However, $12 could work at a local deli – semi-fast food. $8ish sandwich, soda, tax and small tip – it could be done.
Fast food – yes, $12 can work here at most fast-food joints, though at the pricier FF joints you might be ordering water instead of soda.
