$5 lunches (or less) in Wichita

Taco Bueno combines quality and quantity for $5 lunch

When brown bagging it loses its charm or you ran out the door and left your sandwich on the counter, finding a deal for lunch is your first priority. Of course, most restaurants have lunch menus complete with price specials, but taking a page from the deal Subway made famous, we accepted a challenge to find the lunch deals that cost no more than in the neighborhood of $5. (Because inflation.)

How well did we do, and what have we missed?

Important: Restaurant specials change frequently, so do be sure to double-check the special with the restaurant before you order. (And if you find out about a deal that’s over, tell us in the comments so we can remove it. Thanks!)

P.S. For specials on certain days of the week, check out the Daily Food & Drink Deals post. There are some $5 selections there too (particularly on Sunday).

Costco
(Open for carry-out only) The food court is famous for its affordable menu, so be prepared to stand in line. But the $1.50 hot dog and soda combo is a practically a tradition for the thrifty and not-so-thrifty alike. But if you want to go upscale, the chicken bakes will only set you back $2.99. The barbeque brisket is also affordable.

• 9700 E. Kellogg Dr. (316) 226-7164

DeFazio’s Restaurant
(Curbside carry-out only) You’re going to love their kid’s lunch special (they won’t discriminate if you aren’t a kid): a single-topping 6-inch pizza with a side of applesauce or side salad for $5. Dig in! Available for carry-out.

• 2706 Amidon St. (316) 838-0709

Denny’s
When bacon and eggs and pancakes sound good, swing into Denny’s for their $2 and $4 values.

• 4024 E Harry St (316) 683-8362

Hardee’s
Known for their hearty burgers, Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. rolled out a $5 All Star meal in late 2017 that’s worth checking out when you’re hungry. There’s the double cheeseburger and onion rings combo, the double cheesburger and jumbo hot dog, the double cheeseburger and spicy chicken sandwich, and hand-breaded chicken tenders options. But wait! There’s more. You get small fries, a cookie and a small drink—and the price is still $5. (Woot! Cookie.)

• 2053 N. Amidon Ave.,  (316) 425-5393
• 3216 E. Harry St., (316) 651-0462

Heroes
You’ll be the office hero when you tell them about the $5 lunch menu at Heroes in Old Town. Available Monday-Thursday only during lunchtime. What a great deal! And if you work or live anywhere along Douglas, you can hop the free Q-Line Trolley to take advantage of this one, so no need to find a parking space.

• 117 N. Mosley St. (316) 264-4376

Jimmy John’s

The national “freaky fast” sandwich chain rolled out a new value item, the Little John sandwich, in October of 2019. Now it is offering the $5 Little John Combo, which includes your choice of a Little John sandwich, chips, and a soft drink. Note: Cheese is 86 cents extra, which pushes this good deal over $5. If you want, you can have it delivered for a couple bucks more. (And be sure to add a tip for the delivery person.) The Little John Combo may not be available at all locations, but I found it online by using the Pickup/Delivery option. 

• 5 locations in Wichita

KFC
Their $5 Fill Up deals include several combinations of fried chicken, along with larger mashed potatoes, biscuit, cookie and a medium drink. Or you can get their Famous Bowl or pot pie and a cookie and drink for your $5 order. On Wednesdays, ask if they still have the $2.99 Chicken Fried Steak meal. It comes with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and a biscuit.

• 5 locations throughout Wichita

Lalo’s Express
(Drive through only) Tacos, flautas, tostaados, oh my! All of these menu items fall well under the $5 line in the sand—in fact, you can mix and match and still not reach the total.

• 2051 S. Seneca (316) 264-9500

Little Ceasar’s
Your large sausage, pepperoni or cheese round pizza is waiting for you, and it’s just $5. Or, go for a bit of variety with the $5 Little Caesar’s Lunch Combo special and get four slices of Detroit-style deep dish pepperoni pizza and a 20 oz Pepsi.

• 11 locations throughout Wichita

Little Ceasar’s large $5 pizza is a deal you can share for still bigger savings.

Mexico Viejo
You get a range of $4.99 lunch combos here: taco, enchilada, tamale, tostada, chalupa or toastaguac with rice. Daily specials mean that on some days, you’ll be able to  order a Speedy Gonzales ($4.49) or huevos rancheros ($4.99) or huevos con chorizo ($4.99). too.

• 6960 W 21st St N. (316) 722-4787

M&M Bierocks
A regular bierock, not to be confused with “an ordinary bierock,” meal deal, which includes chips and 20 oz soda is $5. Or just grab an individual bierock for $3.25 – $3.75, depending on your ingredients.

• 2065 Central Ave. (316) 262-6263

Playa Azul

• 111 N. Washington, (316) 267-2252

Quiznos
Ciabatta Toasties has a nice ring to it, and that holds true at the cash register as well. It’s just $3.50 for ham and Swiss, Little Italy or a Southwest club ciabatta on that famous bread.

• 550 N. Webb Rd., (316) 652-9231

Sam’s Club
In the battle of the warehouse food courts, Sam’s Club is not to be outdone. It goes toe to toe on hot dog and drink specials, and throws in a pretzel and drink combo for that magic $1.50 price point. A $2 fruit smoothie is a welcome lunch item as well.

• 3084 N Maize Rd. (316) 347-2578
• 6200 W. Kellogg Dr. (316) 945-3010
• 3415 N. Rock Rd. (316) 634-6007

Schlotzsky’s
Craving fresh homemade bread? Swing in for a small classic sandwich and pay just $5.29.

• 4 locations through Wichita

Spangles
Here the $5.55 Classic American Meal Deal includes a classic steakburger, small fry, 20 oz. fountain drink and an 8 oz. Mudslide! Yah, this $5.55 isn’t a typo.

• 11 locations throughout Wichita

Subway
A six-inch sub is $4.99 at Subway; with Black Forest ham, meatball marinara, spicy Italian, cold cut combo and veggie in the bargain spotlight. And if that’s not cheap enough, choose the Sub of the Day special and pay only $3.99.

• 10 locations throughout Wichita

Taco Bell
The national chain may be going for largest selection in the $5 lunch wars. Their boxes—the triple melt burrito and chalupa cravings—contain three full-size entrees, a full-size cinnamon twist order, and a medium drink.

• 13 Wichita locations

Taco Pronto
Hungry westsiders know where to slake taco cravings on the cheap at lunch time (or dinner, or anytime from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and pronto! The Money-Saver Combo is 2 fried corn tacos, 1 bean and cheese burrito, and a 16 oz. drink for $3.99. No substitutions. If you’re in the mood for something else, try the Pork Carnita Combo, which is 2 soft flour pork tacos, chips & salsa, and a 16 oz. soft drink for $4.79.

• 8385 W. 21st Street (316) 295-2999
• 7333 W. Central (316) 722-3021

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop

One of Wichita’s newest restaurants aims to please the lunch crowd. They offer 12 tacos that cost just $2.99 each, including grilled shrimp, veggie and spicy pork versions. The quesos dips are also packed with meat to make them a meal priced at $4.99.

• 306 N Rock Rd., (316) 684-8226
• 4521 E 21st St

Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs 

Goodcents has a $5 Nickel deal that gets you an 8″ sub and a drink. What’s offered may depend on location or time of year, but what I’m seeing right now in Wichita is the 8″ Centsable Ham & Bologna Sub with a regular drink.

• 3411 North Rock Road, Suite 120, (316) 636-5300
• 1212 S. Tyler, (316) 773-1010
• 4921 S. Broadway, (316) 524-4200

Slightly over $5

These local restaurant lunch deals just missed our $5 mark:

A medium NuWay’s crumbly burger, medium onion rings and a medium drink—not too small, not too much—is priced at $5.87.

Fazoli’s
Let’s hear it for some pasta and carb energy to get us over the hump. The Fazoli’s $6 lunch special allows you to pick any two  items (penne, spaghetti, fettuccini, ravioli, meat lasagna, side salad, pizza slice) and they’ll throw in a drink too. Eat in and it’s unlimited breadsticks—the drive-thru only yields one.

• 3553 N Rock Rd., (316) 634-1855

Dairy Queen
If you haven’t discovered their 6-buck lunch, today is a great day to change that. Chicken strips or a hamburger with fries, a drink, and … wait for it … a sundae, too!

• 12 locations throughout Wichita

Lee’s Chinese Restaurant has 10 lunch combos, including Kung Pao chicken, brocolli beef, sweet and sour pork and Moo Goo gai pan, plus fried rice, 2 crab rangoons, mando and a fortune cookie for $6.75.

The teriyaki rice dish and curry entrees at Japan Express are currently priced at $5.25. Maybe you can find a quarter on the floor of your car?

Egg Roll King‘s lunch combo special offers one entree for $5.15, two for $6.15.

(Temporarily closed) The 8-inch plain  hoagies (steak, chicken, turkey) plus tuna and chicken salad at T.O.P.S. Steaks and Hoagies ring up at $5.50. 

TJ’s Burger House offers two chicken sandwiches, jalepeno chicken ($5.78) and crispy chicken ($5.28), and its chili cheese dog ($5.08) wins the prize for closest to the mark.

Champs Bar & Grill
What says lunch better than PB&J? Champs’ Kendall special features just that, with chips, for $2.50. It’s like you packed your lunch! (Psst, most of their sandwich prices would fall on our “just missed” list, too.)

• 1106 S. Seneca, (316) 262-1284