Leong's Asian Diner
Cashew Chicken for Two
The birthplace of Springfield-style cashew chicken: chef David Leong invented the dish here in 1963, and his family's diner still serves the original — fried chicken in oyster-sauce gravy with cashews and green onion. A couple of plates puts two around $20.
Casper's
Chili & Diner for Two
A quirky, beloved hole-in-the-wall serving some of the best chili in the Ozarks — by the cup, bowl, or gallon — plus the Double Whammy chili-cheese burger and Frito pie. Two eat for well under $20. Closed Sunday.
Pappy's Place
Barbecue for Two
Springfield's longest-running restaurant, serving since 1926 in a 1903 building, with house-smoked BBQ — pork sandwiches, ribs, brisket, and BBQ nachos. A barbecue pork sandwich runs around $7, so two eat for about $20. Closed Sunday.
Pizza House
Pizza for Two
A Commercial Street institution since 1958, famous for hand-rolled thin-crust pizza on a recipe unchanged in 65 years. The Lunch for Two — a 13-inch one-topping pizza, two salads, and two drinks — is $19.75. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Greek Belly
Two Gyro Pitas for Two — ~$20
A downtown favorite for classic Greek cooking — gyros, moussaka, spanakopita, and baklava. Gyros run about $9 to $11, so two eat for around $20.
Purple Burrito
Mexican for Two
A cheap, much-loved local Mexican spot near Campbell and Sunshine doing burritos, fajitas, tortas, and quesadillas. Two eat for well under $20. Closed Sunday.
Hurts Donut
Donuts for Two
The original Hurts Donut, founded in Springfield and open “25 hours a day, 8 days a week,” slinging wild specialty donuts like the Cookie Monster and Slim Shady, plus donut shakes. Two stock up for well under $20.
Pineapple Whip
Frozen Treat for Two
An only-in-Springfield frozen treat — a pineapple soft-serve that's dairy-, egg-, and nut-free, made fresh daily at seasonal stands around town. Two cool off for a few dollars total.
Canton Inn
Cashew Chicken for Two
A no-frills neighborhood classic on the Campbell “chicken strip,” long loved for inexpensive, savory cashew chicken topped with cashews and green onion. Two eat for well under $20.
Eating cheap in Springfield: two historic strips do the heavy lifting — Commercial Street (Pizza House) on the north side, and the Campbell Avenue “chicken strip” for cashew chicken (Leong's, Canton Inn). Casper's and Pappy's close Sundays, Pizza House closes Sunday and Monday, and Pineapple Whip runs seasonally, so check before you go. The signature move: order the cashew chicken at least once.
Braum's
Two Burger Combos under $20
A regional favorite straight from the family farm: burgers, fresh fries, and hand-dipped ice cream made with Braum's own dairy. Two combos with a sundae or shake land under $20. Locations across Springfield.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Pick 6 — Meal for Two from $19.99
2 entrees + 2 sides + 2 fountain drinks starting at $19.99. Entrees include 10 boneless wings, the All-American cheeseburger, or crispy chicken dippers; sides are fries, tots, or wedges. Dine-in or order via the BWW app. Pricing runs higher in a handful of states.
Sonic Drive-In
2 Combo Meals — about $16 for two
Combo meals — a burger or chicken sandwich with tots and a drink — run about $8 to $10 each, so two eat for roughly $16 to $18. The $1.99 value menu and half-price drinks from 2 to 4 PM stretch it further.
Cracker Barrel
Meals for Two — $19.99
Two full-size entrees plus a shareable starter or dessert from $19.99 — Chicken 'n Dumplins, the pancake breakfast, the Barrel cheeseburger, and more. Dine-in, weekdays all day. Locations around the Springfield metro.
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