🌽 Local Lincoln Deals
Runza
Two Original Runzas — Starting Around $6 Each (Lincoln-Born Since 1949)
Founded right here in Lincoln in 1949, the Runza sandwich — a yeast-dough pocket stuffed with seasoned beef, cabbage, and onions — is the most identifiably Nebraska food on the planet. Sandwiches start around $6 (Original is the cheapest, with Cheese, Cheeseburger, Southwest, BBQ Bacon, and Spicy Jack stepping up from there). Two Originals plus a side of Frings or fries to share keeps two well under $20 — exact pricing varies by location. The legendary January Temperature Tuesdays drop the price of a Runza to whatever the temperature reads at 6am — single-digit mornings have meant 9-cent sandwiches. Multiple Lincoln locations including 13th & E, 27th & Pine Lake, 48th & O, and the original on N 27th.
The Tastee Trailer
Two Tastee Singles + Onion Chips — $11.79 (Loose-Meat Legacy Since 1948)
After the original Tastee Inn drive-thru on N 48th closed, the family kept the recipe alive on two state-of-the-art mobile trailers serving Lincoln since 1948. A Tastee is a loose-meat sandwich — like a Maid-Rite, but with onion-y flavored hamburger meat on a soft bun, dressed with pickles and mustard. Honest 2-for-20 math: Meal #1 (two Tastee Singles, onion chips & dip) is $11.79 — feeds two for under $12 with their famous house-made onion dip on the side. Or pick up Meal #2 (one Double-Wide with onion chips & dip) also for $11.79. À la carte: Tastee Single $3.99, Double-Wide $7.49. Two singles plus a basket of their batter-fried onion petals and the legendary dip is the Lincoln rite of passage. Locations rotate — check Facebook for the day's stops, with one trailer parked at 926 L St downtown.
Hi-Way Diner
Two Earlybird Breakfasts — $9.78 (Triple D + Food Network Top 50)
Classic 24-hour Lincoln roadside diner on Highway 2, featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and one of Food Network's Top 50. The cheapest 2-for-20 play in town: 2 Eggs with Hash Browns and "Magic Toast" runs $4.89 — two breakfasts come to $9.78 with cash to spare. The third egg is always free, and the magic toast (your choice of pancake, white, wheat, etc.) is a long-running inside joke meant to make you ask. Other deals: 8oz NY Strip with 2 eggs and toast $8.99, Big Dinner $8.29, full chicken-fried steak with 2 eggs $6.89. Order at the counter, seat yourself anywhere. Bring cash for the tip. Located at 2105 Hwy 2.
Tina's Cafe
Two Breakfasts + Share a Cinnamon Roll — Under $20
Family-run hometown cafe just west of Irvingdale, open since 1990 and named for owner Sue Green's mom, Tina. NASCAR memorabilia covers the walls and bleeds onto the menu (Thunder Road tenderloin, Track Champ hot beef). The signature item is a plate-sized homemade cinnamon roll baked early each morning — they sell out fast, so get there at open or call ahead to reserve one. Two breakfasts comfortably under $20: 3-egg omelet $6.99, hashbrowns $2.49, coffee $1.59 — full plate roughly $11. Daily lunch specials like the BBQ pork sandwich with potato salad or coleslaw run $6.99. Hashbrowns are sliced fresh in-house every morning. Open Tue–Fri 6:30am–2pm, Sat 7–11am. Mondays and Sundays closed. 616 South St.
Banhwich Cafe
Two Banh Mi for Two — $10–15 (Saigon Plaza, Near UNL)
Family-owned Vietnamese sandwich shop tucked into Saigon Plaza next to Pho Factory, three blocks west of Peter Pan Park and just minutes from UNL's City and East campuses. The 2-for-20 math is killer: 17+ banh mi varieties from $4.75–$7.75 each — two sandwiches for $10–$15 leaves room for bubble tea and a pandan or ube waffle. Standout sandwiches: Korean BBQ, Lemongrass Grilled Pork, the Ultimate (pork belly with pâté and fried eggs) at $7.75, Vietnamese Pork Meatball, and Buttered Masala Curry. Choose from baguette, croissant, or lettuce wraps — stick with baguette. UNL students have eaten here on $10 a meal for over a decade. 940 N 26th St #201.
Pho Factory
Vermicelli Bowls — $9.95
A casual Vietnamese spot in Saigon Plaza near UNL — a build-your-own pho is $11.94 and vermicelli or rice bowls $9.95. Two people each get a vermicelli bowl for around $20, or split pho. Egg rolls, spring rolls, and family recipes.
Sultan's Kite
Gyros & Shawarma — from $6.39
A downtown halal Mediterranean spot making everything from scratch — gyros, chicken shawarma, falafel, and tikka korma start at $6.39 (small meat upgrades extra). Two people each get a sandwich plate for around $15. Certified halal.
El Chaparro
5 Tacos — ~$10
An authentic Mexican spot on South 13th (open till 3:30am weekends) where five meat-packed tacos run about $10, plus burritos and tortas with free chips and salsa. Two people each build a taco plate for under $20.
Super Taco
Street Tacos — $2.25
A Northeast Lincoln taquería on Holdrege for Mexico-style street tacos at $2.25 each (carne asada, carnitas), plus a $4.99 super burrito. Two people stack a pile of tacos for well under $20. Closed Mondays.
D'Leon's
Two Burritos Combo — $14.51 (Lincoln's 24-Hour Mexican)
Family-owned Mexican mini-chain with seven Lincoln locations, including the original West O location which was Lincoln's first 24-hour Mexican drive-thru when it opened in 2003. The literal 2-for-20 play: Combo #3 "Two Burritos" for $14.51, served with rice, beans, and a 16oz drink. Or grab #2 Two Tacos for $13.49. Other strong picks: Carne Asada Burrito $12.49, Hash Brown Burrito $11.99, Lincoln Burrito $12.84, Nebraska Burrito $12.49, all-day breakfast burritos. Late-night drive-thru lifesavers. Don't let the name confuse you — Highlands D'Leon's at 5501 NW 1st St runs as its own separate location. Original at 2140 W O St.
Don & Millie's
Hamburger Combo — $6.79
A Lincoln fast-food favorite — a quarter-pound hamburger value combo with fries and a drink is $6.79, a cheeseburger combo $7.29, and the half-pound Double Don $8.99. Two people eat full combos for around $14, with 99-cent margaritas.
Bison Witches Bar & Deli
Half Sandwich — $8.79
A downtown deli-bar famous for soup in a bread bowl — a half sandwich is $8.79 and a combo (half sandwich, soup in a bread bowl, chips) $13.79. Two people each get a half sandwich for under $18.
Yia Yia's Pizza & Beer
Two Slices + Loaded Cheese Bread — Under $20 (160+ Craft Beers)
Lincoln pizza-and-beer hangout with one of the city's largest craft bottle selections (over 160 from around the world) plus loaded baked potatoes, loaded cheese breads, and salads. Customizable pizzas come as slice, 12" medium, 16" large, or 20" extra-large with around three million topping combos. Two slices plus a cheese bread to share keeps two diners under $20 with plenty of beer money left. Specialty pizzas include Veggie Mediterranean (spinach, capers, grilled chicken, lemon juice) and the Cranberry-Pineapple-Cream Cheese International. Two locations: 1423 O St (downtown, with pool table and outdoor seating) and 2840 S 70th St (East). Open until midnight Fri–Sat — perfect post-show food.
Lee's Chicken
Chicken Dinner — $9.99
A Lincoln fried-chicken tradition since 1945 on West Van Dorn — a chicken dinner (a piece plus two sides and a roll) is $9.99. Two people each get a dinner for just under $20. Old-school and beloved.
Mr. Hui's
Lunch Special — $6.95
A Lincoln Taiwanese-Chinese spot where weekday lunch specials — General Tso's, sesame chicken, lo mein — are $6.95 with fried rice, crab rangoon, and an egg roll. Two people eat a full lunch for around $14. Cash discount.
Stauffer's Cafe & Pie Shoppe
Two Breakfasts + Pie to Share — Under $20
Family-run Lincoln cafe established in fall 1996 by Thad and his mom Claridy Stauffer, recently sold to local GroundUP Restaurants (cousins Erik Hustad and Gabriel Lovelace) — Stauffer family recipes stay intact. All-day breakfast, lunch, dinner, and what locals call the city's best pies — strawberry rhubarb, banana cream, peanut butter, coconut cream, and sugar-free options. Two breakfasts comfortably under $20 with a slice of pie to share. Specialty: deep-fried chicken livers, biscuits and gravy from scratch. Open Mon–Sat 6am–8pm, Sun 8am–2pm. 5600 S 48th St #105.
CheeseSteak Grille
Combo $8.75 · Sandwich $4.45
A South 16th Street hidden gem (in a former gas station) for griddled Philly cheesesteaks — a sandwich is $4.45 and a combo with fries or chips and a drink $8.75. Two people each get a combo for around $17.50.
Valentino's
Share a Medium Pizza for Two — Under $20 (Lincoln-Founded 1957)
Lincoln-founded Italian institution, started by Val Gates and his wife in 1957 with a small grocery store on Holdrege Street that became the original pizzeria across from UNL's East Campus. Now 34+ Nebraska locations and 1 in South Dakota. Heads-up: lunch and dinner buffets run $13–14 each, putting two over budget — the cleanest 2-for-20 play is a shared medium pizza or carryout Express Lunch combo. The original 35th & Holdrege location is the dine-in spot; multiple carryout/delivery locations across Lincoln including Havelock (6401 Havelock Ave), 56th & 48th (5240 S 48th St), and Highlands (4451 N 26th St). Sunday brunch buffet at 35th & Holdrege adds breakfast pizza and Belgian waffles.
Taqueria Los Reyes
Tacos — $3.25
A Near South taquería on 27th Street for street tacos at $3.25 each — al pastor, carne asada, lengua — plus a $9.50 burrito. Two people each eat three or four tacos for under $20. Closed Sundays.
Rosari's Kitchen
Pupusas — $4
A Salvadoran spot on O Street (a food truck gone brick-and-mortar) griddling pupusas — mixta and bean-and-cheese at $4, a birria pupusa $5 — with curtido, plus $2.50 street tacos. Two people each eat two or three pupusas for under $18. Open late.
Anna's Pupusa Truck
Pupusas — $3.75
A Northeast Lincoln Salvadoran truck for pupusas — revueltas (pork), bean-and-cheese, steak — at $3.75 each with curtido and salsa. Two people each eat two or three pupusas for around $15. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Habibi Kabob & Shawarma
Sandwiches — $5.99
A downtown halal Middle Eastern spot where gyro, shawarma, falafel, and kabob sandwiches are all $5.99. Two people each get a sandwich for around $12, with plates available too.
Lazzari's Pizza
NY Slices — from $3.75
A Lincoln NY-style pizzeria since 1993 (downtown and South) for pizza by the slice — a cheese slice is $3.75 and specialties up to $5.95. Two people each grab a couple of slices for under $20.
China Wall
Lunch Special — $7.95
A Southeast Lincoln Chinese spot where weekday lunch specials — General Tso's, chicken with broccoli — are $7.95 with fried rice. Two people each get a full lunch for around $16. Tue–Sat lunch.
Pita & Naan
Gyro/Falafel Wrap — $9.25–9.99
A downtown family-run Mediterranean-Eastern spot for gyro and falafel wraps — a gyro bolani is $9.25 and a sandwich $9.99 — plus curries and naan. Two people each get a wrap for around $20 (the cheaper bolani keeps it under).
Pro tip: All deals are community-verified but prices and availability change. Always check the restaurant's website or app before making a special trip — and if something's expired, flag it on our main directory so we can update it.
🇺🇸 Also Valid Nationwide
These chain deals work anywhere in the country, including Lincoln.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Pick 6 — Meal for Two from $19.99
The Pick 6 lets two people build a shared meal — choose six items across wings, tenders, and sides — starting around $19.99. A reliable two-for-$20 play at any BWW. Dine-in or takeout; pricing varies slightly by market.
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