10 National Restaurant Chains With the Best Lunch Deals
Customers are feeling the strain on their wallets more than ever when dining out. Many restaurant chains are raising prices, making the once-routine act of eating away from home feel more like a luxury year after year. Even the dependable McDonald's cheeseburger has lost its reputation as an affordable meal option for many customers. It's no secret that value is one of the key components for restaurants to attract would-be customers these days.
Fortunately, there are numerous ways to save on a restaurant meal as long as you're flexible with when you can stop by. Though dinner is usually a more popular time to dine out, lunch has become the prime time to take advantage of promotions, deals, and special menu items.
When hunger strikes in the middle of the day, and you haven't packed a lunch, or your pantry is empty, keep the following restaurant chains in mind. They all feature special deals or menu items found during lunch hours and will keep you full and energized—and save you some money, too.
Applebee's
Applebee's wants to keep you fueled and focused for the afternoon, which is why it offers "a variety of enjoyable lunch specials that provide great value," according to its website. In the past, lunch deals have included promotions like half-priced appetizers, discounts on chicken wings, and more.
Right now, participating locations are offering the new "Really Big Meal Deal," featuring your choice of either Applebee's Big Cluckin' Chicken Sandwich or Big Classic Bacon Cheeseburger, plus "endless" fries and drinks, all for just $9.99. This deal is only available for a limited time, so take advantage while you still can.
Carrabba's Italian Grill
Customers may know Carrabba's Italian Grill for its pasta dishes, but did you know you can choose from an array of soups, salads, and sandwiches for lunch? Stop by on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for specials like sandwich combos with your choice of a side, starting at $13.99. Pick from a selection of hearty handhelds including steak marsala, chicken parmesan, and meatball sandwiches. Guests can also take advantage of endless soup, salad, and bread, starting at $9.99.
Chili's
Chili's recently introduced its new 3 For Lunch Combos, available on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The combos include bottomless chips and salsa, your choice of entrée, and a refillable non-alcoholic drink, all starting at $10.99. Featured entrées include nearly a dozen different options, including Chili's new Big Smasher Burger, boasting nearly twice the beef of McDonald's Big Mac.
Cracker Barrel
Lunch starts at 11 a.m. at Cracker Barrel, with various weekday specials that include the Pick 2 Country Combo, which includes your choice of any two lunch favorites among the house salad, loaded baked potato, loaded sweet potato or vegetable soup. You can also go for the Weekday Lunch Chicken n' Dumplings, which includes the slow-simmered down-home classic dish, plus your choice of side. Daily specials are also available. On Wednesdays, customers can enjoy the Broccoli Cheddar Chicken special, and on Thursdays, the specials include Turkey n' Dressings. These meals range in price from $8.89 to $9.99, offering a healthy amount of food at a low price. Lunch specials may vary by location.
LongHorn Steakhouse
A steakhouse might not be the first place people think of when they're looking for a place to grab a light lunch, but LongHorn Steakhouse is looking to change that narrative. Steakhouse Lunch Plates start at just $8.99, with dishes like the Half-Pound Steakhouse Cheeseburger and the Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich. Lunch plates come with your choice of soup, side, or salad. Lunch specials at LongHorn are available Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at participating locations.
Olive Garden
For lunch, Olive Garden sells various entrées at a lower price. The Never-Ending Soup, Salad & Breadsticks combo is available for $9.49. Select pasta dishes range in price from $10.49 to $11.49, complete with all-you-can-eat soup or salad and breadsticks. Olive Garden's lunch specials are available Monday through Friday before 3 p.m.
Outback Steakhouse
A tasty meal from Outback Steakhouse can be made even more affordable if you visit in the middle of the day. Participating restaurants offer lunch deals, typically on weekdays before 4 p.m. Enjoy unlimited soup and salad combos, sandwich specials, and grilled entrées like Shrimp on the Barbie for as low as $11.99 in certain locations. Even specific cuts of steak like Outback's Center-Cut Sirloin are known to appear on the discounted lunch menu for as low as $13.99—that's almost $4 cheaper than the same steak would cost you at dinner.
P.F. Chang's
Oftentimes, lunch needs to function less like a leisurely meal and more like an efficient refueling during the work day. P.F. Chang's wants to be what customers think of when they're on a time crunch, thanks to its Express Lunch promotion. This offer promises a meal that's ready in 20 minutes or less. This offer is good from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and is limited to the entrées listed on P.F. Chang's Lunch Favorites menu like Mongolian beef and crispy honey chicken.
Panera Bread
The fast-casual chain Panera Bread has been a longtime lunch favorite for many customers, with various soups, salads, and sandwiches on its menu. If you have difficulty deciding what to order, you can always opt for Panera's popular You Pick Two combo. This allows you to choose any two entrees for less than what you would pay individually for those items. You get a proportionally smaller serving—for example, a half sandwich versus a whole sandwich—but customers find that they typically come out ahead with the You Pick Two offering a better value. Prices vary depending on your selections, but you can get a cup of creamy tomato soup and half grilled cheese sandwich for as a little as $11.08 in some locations.
Ruby Tuesday
Ruby Tuesday offers a range of everyday specials to help customers dine on a budget. Some of these specials last all day, but a select number of added savings can be found during lunchtime. Its Endless Garden Bar, offering 50 over different ingredients, is at its cheapest on Wednesdays before 4 p.m., costing just $7.99. On Thursdays, you can pair the garden bar experience with a Single American Smashed Burger and fries or tots for $8.99, or upgrade to a double burger for $10.99. Other garden bar combos are also available on different days at a range of price points.
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