#budget-dining

#budget-dining

Nothing on this cash-only restaurant's menu costs more than $15, and you could probably be in and out in as many minutes. Utopia is the kind of place you go when you need a quick, no-fuss meal that's still satisfying. The Cantonese spot is ultra-efficient: You'll be asked for your order within seconds of sitting down, and minutes later you'll be eating your food, to a soundtrack of Hong Kong news anchors on the TV at full volume.

Opting to try this experiment in New York City, my goal was to find three reputable food spots and get some filling, flavorful meals that stuck to Ray's original $40 budget from over two decades ago. I sought to include trendy spots to prove that you can still eat well and get those Instagram-worthy food shots without breaking your wallet.

Finding affordable dining options in Greater Boston isn't easy. With rising prices, scoring a meal under $20 - one that's actually delicious - has become more of a challenge than ever. Thanks to inflation, high rent, tariffs, and other factors, a simple work lunch can cost a downtown diner $25. Double that for dinner, and expect to empty your wallet if your bill has any alcohol on it.

Is it possible to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in L.A. for under $25 total? Fresh off the heels of the Food team's guide to 50 L.A. restaurants where dinner costs $50 or less, including tax and tip, we sought to slice the savings even further and set out to find three square meals for less than $25 total, including tax and tip.

Chili's offers happy hour deals from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends, providing a range of discounted appetizers and drinks.