I stopped by the McDonald's on Broadway in Denver last night, craving a McDouble like old times. But it was $3.19 by itself, and I remember paying like a buck fifty for one just a few years ago. You used to be able to get two McDoubles and a small fry for under five bucks easy, now that's like a seven dollar meal. It's not even a deal anymore, it's just regular food prices at this point. Is anyone else seeing their local dollar or value menu basically disappear or get way more expensive?
I was loading up my roller dog with ketchup and mustard at this Shell station off Route 66, and this older guy in a trucker hat walks over and says "son, you're burying the flavor," then hands me a packet of jalapeno relish he pulled from his pocket. Has anyone else had a stranger give you unsolicited (but actually solid) food advice at a gas station?
I kept seeing everyone rave about it but after 3 tries, I realized the quesadilla is always tiny and the taco shells are stale. My buddy told me to just get 2 Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos instead for $3.40, and honestly that changed my whole cheap eat game. Anyone else find a better value hack they swear by?
I was working a double behind the bar and forgot to pack dinner. By 10pm I was starving and the kitchen was closed. Ran to the 7-Eleven down the block and grabbed a $4.99 spicy tuna roll from their cooler. Figured I'd regret it but I was desperate. Honestly it hit the spot and I didn't get sick at all. Has anyone else tried the gas station sushi gamble and come out okay?
Stopped at a Circle K on Speedway last week because I was starving and broke. Grabbed two of their premade tacos from the hot case for five bucks total. The tortilla was actually warm and the meat had real flavor, not just salt. Has anyone else found decent food at random gas stations that beats the chains?
Picked up a $3.99 breakfast burrito from a Shell station near the airport around 6am and by noon I was throwing up in a dirt lot off I-10. Anyone else had a bad run with those pre-wrapped hot case items?
He said I'd been getting the same 3 tacos for 8 months straight and asked if I even knew they had a 6 dollar torta that's way more filling, and now I'm wondering how many other hidden menu items I've been blind to at my usual cheap spots.
I used to swear by the Bell's $2 burrito until last week when I finally stopped at the truck by the Shell station in Portland. Their carnitas taco was $3.50 and had actual crackling bits, not that soggy ground meat I've been eating for years. Now I'm wondering if I've been wasting my money on fast food tortillas this whole time. Anyone else find a random cart that ruined chain food for them?
I kept spending like $8 on a sandwich there and feeling ripped off until a cashier told me they sell day-old baguettes for 50 cents at the counter. Now I grab a couple, toast them at home, and make better sandwiches for a fraction of the cost over a week. Has anyone else found hidden cheap menu options at chain places that they never advertise?
Back in 2019 I'd grab those 2 for $3 gas station egg rolls every morning before a job in Lynn, MA. They were dry and the texture was weird but they were cheap and got the job done. Around 2021 the prices jumped to $2 each and the filling got skimpy, so I switched to a bodega near the highway that does a $5 bacon egg and cheese on a roll. The bodega sandwich is way more filling and the lady there knows my order. Has anyone else ditched a long-time cheap eat for a new spot because the old one stopped being worth it?
My coworker Mike swore by the 7-Eleven breakfast burritos for months and I kept telling him he was crazy. He finally dragged me there last Tuesday and made me try the one with chorizo and eggs for like $3.50. I gotta admit, it was way better than the $8 ones I grab from the cafe down the street. Has anyone else found a hidden gem at a gas station that actually slaps?
Drove around for almost an hour last Saturday looking for a place that still does proper carnitas tacos for under eight bucks. Hit three places that either raised their prices or just had dry meat. Finally found a little spot behind a tire shop that had them for $6.50. How long do you usually spend searching before you give up on a cheap meal?
I was dead set on finding a good burrito spot near my job site in Austin without spending more than 5 bucks. First place I hit on East 6th had a bean and cheese that was all rice no flavor, total letdown. Second stop was a food truck that only took cash, which I never carry anymore. Finally on my 4th try I found this little gas station taqueria on Manor Road that makes a killer breakfast burrito with actual bacon and eggs for $4.50. Has anyone else had to bounce between spots just to find a decent cheap meal that isn't a total rip off?
I was stuck waiting for the 47 bus on Grand last Tuesday and grabbed two tacos from that Shell station on the corner. They were $2.50 each, which felt risky, but the guy hand-rolls them right there and the salsa verde is legit spicy. Has anyone else found hidden gems at places you'd normally skip for lunch?
I always passed on the hot case at the 7-Eleven on 5th Street near my job because I figured it'd be nasty rubbery eggs, but my coworker kept saying the bacon egg and cheese croissant was worth it. Tried it last Tuesday for $3.49 and the croissant was actually flaky with real egg, not the frozen circle kind. Anybody else find a surprise hit at a gas station they slept on for too long?
My buddy Dave from the shipping dock kept telling me about the gas station burritos at the Shell on Highway 9. Said they were better than Taco Bell for half the price. I finally grabbed one last Tuesday on my lunch break and he was right. It was $4.89, stuffed with eggs and chorizo, and actually had real cheese instead of that fake melty stuff. I've gone back three times already this week. Anyone else got a gas station find that surprised them?
I was scrambling through my wallet and the owner just waved me off and said 'get it next time,' so now I make it a point to grab their $6 al pastor tacos every Friday since they earned my business for life, anyone else got a spot that hooked them up when they were broke?
I was looking at the Taco Bell app last night comparing prices and noticed the bean burrito is $1.49 for like 6 ounces, but their $1.00 spicy potato taco is only 2.5 ounces. The bean burrito gives you way more food for just 49 cents more. Has anyone else done the math on what's actually the best deal there?
Stopped at a Shell station off I-35 near Austin last Tuesday around 2pm. Saw a refrigerated display with pre-made sushi rolls for $5.99 and grabbed two. Got home, ate one, and spent the next 18 hours praying to the porcelain gods. Never again, has anyone else been burned by suspect gas station seafood?
I counted 49 breakfast, bean and green chili burritos over two years, and the $2.79 price never changed once, has anyone else found a gas station item that stayed cheap that long without a price hike?
I was grabbing a soda yesterday and one guy was dead serious saying the buffalo chicken taquito beats the classic one by a mile because you get two for $1.50 instead of one for $1.20 at the counter. The other guy swore the classic holds up better after sitting in the warmer for an hour. I have never thought that hard about gas station taquitos before. Has anyone actually done a side by side taste test on these things?
I grabbed this massive looking burrito from a Shell station off I-35 last Tuesday, figured for $8 it couldn't be that bad. Took one bite and it tasted like microwave cardboard with a side of spicy regret. I ate the whole thing because I was starving and didn't want to waste the cash. Within 45 minutes I was stuck in a Taco Bell bathroom halfway home, texting my boss I'd be late. Ruined my whole afternoon and I still lost the $8. Anyone else ever swear off a gas station food item after one brutal experience?
I used to just walk up and say 'three tacos' at this spot on 5th street. After like six months the owner finally pulled me aside and said I was wasting my money. He said I should get the torta instead because it's the same meat and fixings but with way more food for only 8 bucks compared to 3 tacos for 9.50. Now I get the torta every time and add avocado for an extra dollar and I'm stuffed for under ten. Has anyone else had a vendor clue them in on a better deal?
I always laughed at folks grabbing those pre-wrapped burritos from the roller grill at 7-Eleven on Route 9. Last week I was starving after a 6 AM shift and gave in for $2.49. First bite was meh but by the third I was hooked on the spicy egg and potato mix. Now I'm wondering if I was just being a snob or if they actually upped their recipe recently. Anyone else change their mind on a cheap spot after giving it a second shot?