How To Get Cheap Meals In 19+ Major Cities (2023)

Getting cheap meals in major cities sounds too good to be true, but it’s possible in 19+ cities worldwide with an incredible subscription service.

Introducing MealPal, a dining program designed for the downtown workforce. MealPal started as a lunch-only model offering cheap meals Monday-Friday for < $7 before taxes from top eateries in metropolitan downtown city centers at 40% off restaurant prices. 

MealPal has expanded beyond immediate downtown vicinities in some cities, as you can see in the screenshot above of New York City with offerings into uptown and across boroughs. MealPal also provides dinner offerings in New York City and Singapore with plans to continue expanding dinner service in other cities. Good Dimes Tip: head to MealPal’s FAQs to let the team know you want them to provide dinner offerings in your city.

Additionally, MealPal has a subscription service designed specifically for hybrid workers. Have no fear, even if you don’t work where MealPal is offered but dwell there or drive by MealPal locations on your commute, you can also subscribe to MealPal and reap the same benefits.

MealPal offers different subscription plans based on location and how many meal credits you want per month. Meals can be as low as $3.48– what a steal!

Meals are available every weekday, not including the six major U.S. holidays as well as the day after Thanksgiving.

How Does MealPal Work?

Each evening starting at 5 PM local time, you can log into the MealPal app and peruse the restaurants and meals of choice available for the next day. If you don’t select an item before the clock strikes midnight, you have until 1:30 PM the next day to select your item for same-day pick-up.

Once you decide on which option looks the most delectable, you select a pick-up time. That way, when you arrive at the restaurant to pick up your meal, it’s ready and waiting for you. You can reserve up to one lunch meal per day.

You can pause your account for up to three months at a time if you’re on vacation or just want to take a break.

Where Is MealPal Offered?

As of 2023, MealPal is available in Auckland, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, London, Los Angeles, Manchester, Melbourne, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, Washington, D.C., Wellington. Click here for a list of restaurants on the platform.

So if you live and/or work downtown in one of these 20 cities, what are you waiting for? Try MealPal today!

→ Check out my post on the 15+ best hotel bars in San Francisco.