Cheap Food Near Me | Ultimate Guide to Finding Restaurant Discounts Using 13 Apps
- Elle Rex
- 5 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Did you know over 2 million people search for “cheap food near me” every month? But here’s the catch: we’re all craving something different. Maybe you’re hunting for wallet-friendly restaurants, chasing flash sales on takeout, or tracking down hidden gems that will make your friends jealous while still being affordable?
Whatever your foodie mission, one thing is clear: there's no one-size-fits-all answer to finding cheap eats using an app. So how do you cut through the noise and find your perfect cheap meal FAST?
We've put together the ultimate guide on how to use discount restaurant apps to easily score delicious eats that will leave you enough pocket money for dessert.
Hungry for deals? Let’s dig in!
Eat Cheap at Restaurants with Special Offers
Likaa
Finding restaurant discounts near you is so easy with Likaa, and you don't need to secure any coupons in advance. Likaa’s unique map feature shows you food deals nearby, or in any neighborhood you choose. Plus, if you have questions, you can join live group chats if you want to know more about a specific restaurant. Friendly foodies use these restaurant-hosted clubs for discussions about their dining experiences and to share personal reviews.
Tips:
Open the App and use “Map” to quickly find cheap eats using special “Restaurant Type” filters. Below the filters, you can see all the restaurants in your neighborhood, and the tab on the left is “Food Deals Near Me,” which lists all the discount coupons in your vicinity; ready to be used right away! Open to scan them when you arrive to enjoy the benefits immediately.
Not sure which one to choose? Just click through to the restaurant's Likaa Club where you’ll find group chat rooms full of guests who come together to mingle and chat freely. Ask other diners for honest opinions or to provide helpful suggestions.
Pros:
✅ Shows restaurants near you with active coupons
✅ Chat with other dinners for instant feedback
✅ Save your favorite restaurants and coupons to use anytime
✅ Earn points through in-app loyalty program for more food benefits
Cons:
❌ Likaa Map can help you find restaurants, but doesn’t help navigate
❌ Likaa does not support finding cheap food in supermarkets
❌ Likaa is currently for mobile-only
Runner-up: Groupon
Groupon is an online platform that offers discounted deals on various services, including food, beauty & spa and other things to do. It allows you to save money while exploring new dining options. The app also features user reviews and ratings, but it also comes with notable limitations on the search results. You can use groupon for pre-planned, cheap eat meals, but its restrictions, fees, and outdated model make it a poor fit for casual, budget-friendly dining.
Groupon clocks in as the runner-up because their restaurant deals are heavily skewed toward urban centers and tourist hotspots. If you’re in a small town or rural area, options may be sparse or nonexistent. It can also be an inconvenience to buy a voucher upfront. A "$30 for $60" voucher might require you to spend $60 before applying the discount, which defeats the intention behind searching for cheap eats.
Using Groupon means you’re ok with planning ahead, which doesn't let you find discounts on the fly. Most vouchers need to be purchased days before use.
Location-first Cheap Food Near Me
Google Maps
Google Maps provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to quickly find nearby food options based on your location, with mass market appeal. As a big-tech giant, Google hosts a wide range of food establishments, from fast food to humble diners, making it easy to find something that fits your budget and taste preferences.
Tips:
Search by typing a phrase like:
“Cheap restaurants near me”
“Affordable food near me”
“Best tacos under $5” (get specific)
Filter by Price:
Search for a type of business such as a restaurant, then tap the “Filters” button below the search bar and select “$” (budget-friendly) or “$$” (moderate) under “Price.” This weeds out pricier options instantly. You can also Tap “Distance” to find the closest options if you’re hungry now.
Pros:
✅ Can check photos and reviews
✅ Can save your favorite places or create lists of recommended spots
✅ Can navigate you to the restaurant
Cons:
❌ Unable to display a restaurant's current discount offers
❌ Restaurant information can be outdated or inaccurate
❌ Limited search filters due to location or devices, so you can’t always see the price filter
Runner-up: Yelp
Similar to Google Maps, you can also use Yelp to find food deals, but it’s more popular for detailed reviews since it isn’t built to prioritize savings. You can read restaurant reviews for clues and look for phrases like “great value” or “under $10” in user comments.
Yelp’s "Hot and New" or "Deals" sections often feature discounts. The easiest way to take advantage of the platform for bargain hunting is to use the search term “Cheap Restaurants" and then set your options to “current location.”
Remember to use the "Deals" tab or filter restaurants by "$" or "Offers" for discounts like free appetizers or BOGO deals. But, we’ve also found that their “Special Offers” tab is rarely updated, leading to expired coupons and dead links.
Why we put Yelp as 2nd choice is because their ads for pricier restaurants drown out affordable gems. Users must scroll through reviews to manually hunt for keywords like “cheap” or “happy hour.”
Overall Yelp is a great app for reviews and general research but falls short for targeted discount hunting. Pair it with apps designed for savings to eat well on a budget.
Super Discounted Hidden Gems
Too Good To Go
The Too Good To Go app helps you find cheap meals by connecting you with local restaurants and cafes that have surplus food. You can purchase these meals at a reduced price, cutting back on food waste while enjoying delicious, budget-friendly options. It's a great way to save money and discover new places to eat as a champion of sustainable consumer practices.
Tips:
Enable location access to see nearby vendors. Open the app and scroll through local businesses (bakeries, cafes, grocery stores, restaurants), browse available “Surprise Bags” and each listing shows:
Pickup window (e.g., 6–7 PM)
Price (typically $3–$6 for $10–$15 worth of food)
Type of food (e.g., “Bakery Bag,” “Grocery Rescue”)
No need to create an account upfront - just browse. If you decide on a food deal that you want to collect, just tap “Reserve” and pay in-app (credit/debit card or PayPal), then you’ll receive pickup details via the app.
Pros:
✅ Big discounts. Users normally save 50–70% on food.
✅ Rescues food from landfills.
✅ Fun for adventurous eaters.
Cons:
❌ You can’t choose specific items, it’s a mystery bag.
❌ Best for major US cities like NYC, LA, and SF. Rural areas have fewer options.
❌ Pickup windows are short (often late afternoon/evening).
❌ Some items may be nearing expiration (check labels).
Cheap Food for Delivery Deals
DoorDash / Uber Eats / Grubhub
Delivery apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub make it easy to find cheap food options delivered right to your door. They often feature special deals and discounts from local restaurants, allowing you to explore a variety of cuisines while saving money. Plus, you can browse menus, read reviews, and order with just a few taps, making meal time more convenient and budget-friendly.
Tips:
Hack the Filters & Use Pickup Mode. On DoorDash/Uber Eats, use the “Under $10” or “$” filters to surface budget-friendly meals. Grubhub’s “Deals” tab highlights discounts like BOGO burgers. You can also use their “Specials Tab”. Check DoorDash’s “Specials”* or Uber Eats’ “Value Meals” for curated cheap meals. Make sure to switch to pickup mode to dodge delivery fees (often 20–30% cheaper). Many restaurants offer pickup-only deals, like free fries or 15% off.
Search generic terms like “lunch specials” or “happy hour” to find time-sensitive discounts.
Use their first-time discounts, delete/reinstall apps to trigger new-user offers again (works occasionally). Also use codes like “25OFF” (DoorDash) or “EATS-NEWUSER”* (Uber Eats) for 20–50% off.
Use cashback apps like Rakuten, Ibotta, or credit cards to earn 1-10% back on orders.
Combine app discounts with restaurant promos for double savings.
Here’s a balanced breakdown of the pros and cons of using DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub to find cheap food nearby, plus tips to maximize value.
Pros:
✅ No need to call restaurants or visit in person, you can just order from your couch and track deliveries in real time.
✅ Easily compare menu prices across multiple restaurants.
✅ Earn points or cash back through app loyalty programs.
Cons:
❌ Small orders feel pricey after hidden fees. Watch out for a $7 burger becoming $12.
❌ Prices spike during peak hours like Friday nights or during bad weather.
❌ Upsells and flashy ads encourage impulse buys.
❌ Food may arrive cold, soggy, or incorrect (depends on the driver/restaurant).
❌ Subscriptions like DashPass ($10/month) only pay off if you order 2+ times per month.
Fast Food Near Me
Fast food is definitely a budget-friendly option, and many chains regularly offer special promotions. You can expect that most of your favorite chains are big enough to offer their own dedicated cheap food app to help you find the nearest locations, peruse menus, and discover their latest deals.
Here we group 5 global fast food apps with frequent discounts for your consideration.
McDonald’s / Starbucks / Domino’s / Burger King / Subway
Tips:
Make sure to enable notifications for flash deals. Chains like McDonald’s and Domino’s send time-sensitive offers like "Free fries between 2–5 PM today". Just turn on app notifications and check the "Deals" tab daily.
Combine app coupons with credit card cashback such as Chase Sapphire’s 3% back on dining, or third-party deals (e.g., Rakuten cash back for app orders) and Loyalty rewards like Starbucks stars + a BOGO coupon.
Hack: Many fast food apps offer freebies on your birthday. Reset your profile’s birthday monthly to trigger rewards.
Pros:
✅ Apps like McDonald’s and Domino’s offer daily deals that are consistent nationwide, and there is no guesswork. You know exactly what you’re getting.
✅ Earn points for free food. Think - Starbucks Stars, Subway Rewards.
✅ Perfect for travelers, with deals that work in any location.
✅ Avoid hidden fees (unlike third-party delivery apps).
Cons:
❌ Menus rarely change and few healthy or dietary-specific options.
❌ Deals often require minimum purchases.
❌ Some discounts are location-specific.
❌ Apps track your spending habits and location for targeted ads.
Feast Like a Food Spy: Why Cheap Eats Are Your Greatest Power Move
Let’s rewrite the narrative, hunting for affordable meals isn’t a compromise. You’re not “cheap”; you’re a flavor chaser, unearthing mom-and-pop taco trucks, secret lunch specials, and dim sum so good you’ll never cook Sunday breakfast again. Every app notification? That’s your bat-signal for satisfaction.
The plot twist – scarcity breeds creativity. Limiting your budget doesn’t shrink your world, it turns you into a curator of ready-to-enjoy experiences. One app = a map to Bangkok street food. Another = a timer counting down to half-priced sushi bliss. This isn’t desperation. This is dinner with a side of dopamine.
So wear your “cheap food near me” searches like a badge of honor. While others overpay for blandness, you’re out here feasting five nights a week. The real flex? When your friends beg, “How did you find this place?” Now get out there and eat.
About Likaa:
Likaa makes it easy for restaurants and F&B insiders to host chat rooms, share discounts, and get honest feedback from the guests they value and want to welcome back.
