Dinner Without The Damage
Taking the whole family out to dinner for $25 sounds like an impossible dream these days. Getting everyone fed and still having change sounds downright impossible. Well, in the 1980s, these restaurants could make it happen. Did you eat at any of them?
ullstein bild Dtl., Getty Images
Chi-Chi’s: Everyone Could Have Their Own Chimichanga
A preserved 1980 Chi-Chi’s dinner menu lists several chimichangas at $4.25. Order four and the food bill reached $17, leaving room for tax and a tip within that $25 budget. Nobody had to pretend they weren’t hungry so the children could have a proper meal.
Nostaljack at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Enhanced
Ponderosa: Four Meals And Drinks For $7.56
A September 1984 coupon offered a chopped-steak or fish sandwich, fries, and Pepsi for $1.89. Better still, it was valid for any party size. Four meals totaled $7.56 before tax and tip. Remember when bringing a coupon could make you feel like a financial genius?
Corey Coyle, Wikimedia Commons
Denny’s: A Burger Dinner With Some Breathing Room
In 1985, the Jumbo Denny’s Combo included a large hamburger, fries, and salad for $4.35. Four came to $17.40 before extras. That’s using full-priced combos for everyone, too. Getting the children to order from their own menu wasn’t necessary to make the math work.
Billy Hathorn, Wikimedia Commons
The Old Spaghetti Warehouse: Pasta With Plenty Left Over
A December 1980 menu listed meat-sauce spaghetti at $3.85, children’s plates at $2.75, and Pepsi at 45 cents. Two adult plates, two children’s plates, and four Pepsis totaled exactly $15. That left another $10 for tax, tip, and any successful negotiations over dessert.
Ground Round: The Children’s Menu Did Its Job
In 1980, two $6.95 beef dinners and two $1.79 children’s dinners totaled $17.48. That’s a family budget with some breathing room. You could sit down, let everyone pick a meal, and still have a reasonable answer when somebody inevitably asked whether they could order something else.
Bob Evans: Four Dinners For $19
A 1985 review priced Bob Evans’ sausage-steak dinner at $4.75. Four dinners therefore cost $19 before extras. This one required keeping things simple: tap water and no dessert. But everyone could have a full-priced dinner while leaving enough of the $25 for tax and a tip.
Dan Perry from Atlanta, USA, Wikimedia Commons
Golden Corral: Steak Night Was Within Reach
A September 1983 Golden Corral advertisement promoted a weekend sirloin feature for $3.99. Four steaks at that advertised price came to $15.96 before extras. This was a weekend offer, rather than a promise about every item on the menu, but it certainly gave families a reason to visit.
Tony Webster, Wikimedia Commons
Friendly’s: The Main Meals Barely Made A Dent
A 1980 reviewer’s two adult meals and two children’s meals totaled $6.38, including the children’s drinks. At that point, you might actually welcome the dessert question. Getting four people fed for that amount would make a $25 budget feel positively generous.
Mike Mozart from Funny YouTube, USA, Wikimedia Commons
Western Sizzlin: You Didn’t Even Need The Discount
A 1982 Western Sizzlin advertisement printed regular prices alongside its specials. An eight-ounce sirloin normally cost $3.99, making four $15.96 before extras. The discounted version was $2.39 on the specified Thursday evening. Either way, steak night didn’t automatically mean abandoning the family budget.
Sizzler: Nobody Had To Guess How Hungry They Were
Sizzler’s all-you-can-eat salad bar cost $4.49 in a 1986 review, or $17.96 for four. There’s something reassuring about knowing the food bill before everyone starts eating. Especially when one of the children announces they’re starving approximately five minutes after insisting they weren’t hungry.
RegionalQueenslander, Wikimedia Commons
Sambo’s: Dinner Specials With A Business Purpose
In 1981, Sambo’s was promoting $2.99 dinners while trying to recover from years of trouble. Management wanted customers to think of it for more than breakfast. Four specials totaled $11.96 before extras. For families watching their spending, the attempted turnaround offered a very practical attraction.
Taken by Antandrus, Wikimedia Commons
Stretch’s Airport Restaurant: Fish And Chips For Everyone
Stretch’s April 1981 menu listed fish and chips at $3.25 and soft drinks at 50 cents. Four meals and four sodas totaled $15 before tax and tip. The family could have a straightforward meal without children’s pricing, coupons, or anyone trying to fill up on an appetizer.
Bonanza: This Was Worth Getting The Scissors Out
An August 1981 Bonanza advertisement carried coupons for two rib-eye dinners at $6.99. Each included potato or fries, Texas toast, and salad-bar access. Two pairs at that rate totaled $13.98 before extras. The newspaper supplied two coupons, so keeping the second one suddenly looked like excellent planning.
John Phelan, Wikimedia Commons
Pizza Inn: Tuesday Could Become The Family’s Favorite Night
In June 1980, a Pizza Inn advertised its Tuesday dinner buffet at $2.69 for adults. Children under 12 paid 15 cents per year of age. Two adults with children aged six and eight paid $7.48 before drinks, tax, and tip. Growing older had a surprisingly measurable dinner cost.
Michael Rivera, Wikimedia Commons
Beefsteak Charlie’s: Five Cents For The Children
In 1982, Sunday’s 1–4 p.m. offer paired $6.99 adult dinners with five-cent meals for children 12 and under: $14.08 for four. Yes, that decimal point belongs there. That’s the kind of offer that could settle the argument about where to take the family.
Pizza Hut: One Pizza Could Anchor The Whole Dinner
A surviving 1984 Pizza Hut menu lists a large Super Supreme pan pizza at $12.20. For two adults and two younger children happy to share, that left considerable room under $25. Adding the salad bar to a meal cost $1.89 per person, giving the adults another option.
Ed!(talk)(Hall of Fame), Wikimedia Commons
The Best Deals Weren’t Always On The Same Night
Some families could walk in and order from the regular menu. Others got the lowest bill by clipping a coupon or choosing the right evening. These examples show both approaches working. Knowing which restaurant had which offer could make the family’s dinner money stretch considerably further.
Mike Kalasnik, Wikimedia Commons
Which One Would You Go Back To?
Give yourself $25, put the family in the car, and pick somewhere from this list. Are you heading straight for steak, ordering a pizza, or making absolutely sure you arrive on the five-cent children’s meal day? And which restaurant do you remember giving you the most for your money?
JJBers from Willimantic, Connecticut, USA, Wikimedia Commons
You Might Also Like:
