Whether you’re taking a much-needed break from your work desk or getting together with friends to celebrate or catch up, having lunch out at a restaurant is a pretty common activity. But there’s no denying that prices have skyrocketed in recent years, making it so your wallet might feel lighter after just one or two lunch outings. Luckily, that’s where restaurants with lunch specials come in. You get to skip the brown-bag lunch, enjoy delicious favorites or try something new, and spend time with friends and family–all while keeping more money in your bank account.
Restaurants offer lunch specials around–you guessed it–lunchtime, with the typical window being somewhere between 11 AM and 3 PM. While some restaurants offer a special lunch menu with items tailor-made for the lunch crowd, other restaurants offer smaller or lighter portions of regular menu items or pair them with a side, drink, or dessert for a full meal. Since a lot of restaurants want to bring in extra business during the lunch hour, these lunch specials can be a value-packed deal for you, the diner.
For example, Carrabba’s has a Lunch Trio special on weekdays for about $10.99, Cracker Barrel has rotating daily specials, and LongHorn Steakhouse has a lineup of Steakhouse Lunch Plates for about $10.
But how can you keep up with all the various lunch menus, specials, and restaurant-specific hours? Fortunately, you have EatDrinkDeals on your side! We’ve compiled a handy guide with an up-to-date listing of all the restaurant specials we could find–and verify with restaurant websites or social media accounts. You’ll only find legit lunch specials here. So go ahead and block time in your calendar for lunch out!
Which lunch specials are your favorites? Did we miss any? If so, get in touch to let us know!
Restaurant Lunch Specials – In Alphabetical Order
54th Street Grill
54th Street Grill has a lunch menu with 10 items available for about $10. Choices include the Bacon Cheese Chicken Grille, Half Sandwich + Soup Combo, Scratch Veggie Burger, Taco Platter, and more. Check out the full lunch menu on the 54th Street Grille website.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings has a lineup of Lunch Combos for about $10. Choose a lunch entrée, like 6 traditional or boneless wings or a Buffalo Ranch Chicken Wrap, then pair it with fries and a soft drink, all for $10. Find your local menu and prices on the Buffalo Wild Wings website.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Carrabba’s has lunch specials from about $8 – $14. Lunch specials are available Monday – Friday from 11 AM – 3 PM at participating locations. Check your local Carrabba’s location to see if you can stop in for a Lunch Trio with your choice of soup, salad, and small plate of pasta for about $12, or a Chicken Caprese or Meatball Sandwich for about $14.
Cracker Barrel
Brighten up the workweek with a slice of homestyle cooking at Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel has daily lunch specials like Chicken N’ Dumplins and Pick 2 Country Combos for about $8 – $9 available starting at 11 AM every weekday. Some lunch specials, like the Turkey N’ Dressing, are only available on a specific day each week. The Country Coastal Sampler and Friday Fish Fry are a little more expensive (about $14) and are only available on Friday. Check out the Daily Specials section of the Cracker Barrel website to see your local specials. Our Cracker Barrel article has all the details on other current deals.
Fogo de Chão
Fogo de Chão is definitely on the expensive end of the restaurant spectrum, but they have some more affordable lunch options. The Market Table & Feijoada Bar on the Gaucho Lunch menu includes a wide range of Brazilian foods, including salads, vegetables, aged cheeses, cured meats, seasonal soups, and more for about $18. You can add a traditionally grilled meat, carved tableside, for an additional $8 – $12. Explore the Market Table options on the Fogo de Chão website, and select your location to see menu prices.
Honey Baked Ham
Turn your lunch out into a special occasion with a handcrafted sandwich or salad made in-house at Honey Baked Ham. Lunch items range from about $8 – $12, and you can make your sandwich a meal for a few dollars more. View the Honey Baked Ham lunch menu, or see more details on their lunch page.
IHOP
Get your breakfast favorites to go with one of IHOP‘s Family Feasts. Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner…or lunch? Family Feasts serve four and are only available via IHOP ‘N Go (carryout or delivery). Family Feasts are priced around $35, depending on location, and options include the Breakfast Family Feast with Waffles or Pancakes, Pancake Creations Family Feast with Bacon or Sausage, and Steakburgers & Chicken Sandwiches Family Feast. Check out the full list on the IHOP menu.
LongHorn Steakhouse
The LongHorn Steakhouse lunch menu features a lineup of Steakhouse Lunch Plates that include an entrée, side, and soup or salad for about $10. Full-Sized Lunch Favorites, Lunch Entrée Salads, and Legendary Lunch Steaks are also available but are pricier. The lunch menu is available Monday – Saturday from 11 AM – 3 PM. View the full menu on LongHorn’s website. Check out our story on LongHorn Steakhouse for other current deals!
O’Charley’s
Enjoy Lunch Hour Combos at O’Charley’s every weekday from 11 AM – 3 PM. Get your choice of two items and a fountain drink starting at $9.99. Other lunch options include a Chicken Tender Wrap, Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Bowl, Loaded Mac & Tender Bowl, and more. Select your location on the O’Charley’s website for more details.
Red Lobster
Red Lobster has a Lunch Favorites menu with many seafood options available for around $10 – $15 from 11 AM to 3 PM on weekdays. Lunch items include Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp and Garlic Shrimp Scampi. You can also get your choice of soup and salad with a side of four Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Visit Red Lobster’s lunch menu page for more details. Our story on Red Lobster Coupons & Specials has even more deals!
Red Robin
Red Robin has their famed burgers and steak fries starting at about $13, and now offers Donatos Pizza starting at about $10. For more details, visit Red Robin’s website.
Smokey Mo’s BBQ
Smokey Mo’s recently unveiled a lineup of lunch combos that are available for about $11 weekdays from 10:30 AM to 2 PM. Get your choice of a Lunch Plate Combo, Lunch Sandwich Combo, or Chopped Baker Combo (a barbeque-topped baked potato!) and enjoy barbeque your way for less. Smokey Mo’s announced the lunch special in a recent press release. Check out our Smokey Mo’s story for more details.
The Palm
Treat yourself to lunch in style with “Power Lunch” at The Palm. Most locations offer the three-course Power Lunch for about $30, with multiple options for each course of soup or salad, entrée, and dessert. Burgers, salads, and other lunch specialties are also available. For more details, select your location on The Palm website.
