5 Restaurants Where You Can Score Lunch for Less Than $10

An affordable lunch still exists!

Wherever you live, there's no denying that dining out–whether for a proper sit-down meal or a grab-and-go bite–has become increasingly expensive. And no, I don't just mean dinner and drinks … don't even get me started on that. But it feels like these days, spending $20 on a quick sandwich or a midday snack has become the new normal. Welp!

As much as I'd like to say I cook lunch for myself every day, you know as well as I do that's not always possible. Unless you love spending every free minute of your WFH day in the kitchen or are a pro-meal prepper, it can be hard to stop everything you're doing just to whip up a nutritious lunch. And if you're working from an office? Well, chances are you don't have many options but to buy lunch or pack food from home (here is where the pro-meal prepper gene would come in handy).

5 Restaurants Where You Can Score a Healthy Lunch for $10 or Less

To save you time and money–and save you from getting hangry while you try to figure out a reasonably priced place to sustain yourself–here is a list of chain restaurants where you can get a good, nutritious lunch for $10 or less.

Sweetgreen

If you're fortunate enough to live close to a Sweetgreen, you can grab yourself a nutritious, protein-packed lunch for only $8, according to Tiktoker thethriftyspoon. Begin by choosing your base of either grains, greens, or both, then pick up to four toppings, including the higher protein options like chickpeas and lentils. Then choose your dressing and add your sides of bread. Thethriftyspoon adds that, "... as long as you don't get premium toppings, your total will be $7.95 plus tax, and that includes bread."

Chipotle

Chances are high that you have a Chipotle somewhere nearby, so why not pop in for a quick and inexpensive lunch? And luckily for you–and me–they have plenty of healthier options on the menu to help keep you full and satisfied, with your bill totalling $10 or less. I recently got the "Go Half Veggie Bowl,” which is made with half chicken-half sofritas, rice, fajita veggies, tomato salsa, corn salsa, and sour cream. And although the total was $10.11, we're going to ignore that 11 cents for now. And of course, don’t sleep on the $3 ($4, if we’re being precise) Chipotle burrito hack.

Panera

Panera is another tried-and-true staple with great lunch deals that won't break the bank. One of my favorite places on the menu to order from is the Value Deals section. There you'll find SIX different lunch options with the combination of either a soup and salad or a soup and sandwich (all at the cost of $7.99 before tax). You can, however, also get most of their soups for only $8.19 (before tax), and most of their bread bowls for $8.49 (also before tax). In sum, I have no doubt that you can walk into Panera with a $10 bill and leave full and ready to take on the day.

Just Salad

Whether you're looking for a healthy, protein-packed salad, a chef-designed wrap, or a filling grain bowl, Just Salad, a chain that has locations predominantly on the East Coast, is a great place to grab lunch for less than $10. You'll find that the majority of their salads and grain bowls fall at around $8.25 before tax, and the wraps are all under $8. And if you're too hungry and just want a small bite to eat, grab a large soup for $4.95.

B.Good

Boston-born B. Good has been one of my personal favorites for many years, and if you’re in New England, I highly recommend a stop at one of their locations. Their food always tastes fresh and delicious, and I love the farm-to-table feel their menu has. Unfortunately, most items on their menu are above $10. However, there are a few outliers. If you're in the mood for a burger (and who isn't?), you could get The Classic with beef, lettuce, tomato, and more for $8.75 before tax, or the Chipotle Veggie with a black bean patty, avocado, and chipotle puree for $9 before tax. I also really love their Power Up protein smoothie for a quick grab-and-go lunch for only $9.