Fast Food Isn’t Cheap Anymore — 7 Sit-Down Restaurant Deals That Can Cost Less

Pedestrians walk past an Applebee’s location displaying meal promotions and to-go signage. Casual dining brands increasingly rely on fixed-price meal deals to draw diners away from fast-food drive-throughs.

Fast food used to be the obvious choice when you wanted to spend as little as possible on a meal away from home. That calculation has become harder as combo meals, premium sandwiches and add-ons push quick-service restaurant bills higher. Meanwhile, some sit-down restaurants have introduced lunch specials, early-week promotions and other value offers that can make a full-service meal surprisingly competitive. The trick is knowing where to look and understanding which deals actually include enough food to replace a fast-food run. For budget-conscious diners, these seven options are worth checking before automatically heading to the drive-thru.

1. Applebee’s Has Multiple Ways to Build a Lower-Cost Meal