Eating out in Switzerland has a reputation for being expensive, and dinner à la carte often deserves it, but the actual cost of eating out changes considerably depending on when and how you do it.
What I miss about ordering food in Dubai
One thing I really miss about Dubai is how easy it was to order food. There always seemed to be an offer available, whether it was a restaurant discount, a delivery promotion or a meal deal. So far, I have not found anything quite as convenient or promotion-heavy in Switzerland.
Then I discovered Too Good To Go. It is not a conventional food-delivery app. Instead, participating cafés, bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets and other food businesses list unsold food in the app as a Surprise Bag. You reserve and pay in the app, then collect it from the business during the stated pickup window.
The exact contents are usually a surprise and availability depends on what a business has left that day. That makes it less predictable than ordering a specific meal, but it can be a useful way to spend less, try nearby places and stop good food from going to waste. I check the pickup time, location, rating and dietary information before reserving because a cheap bag is not good value if I cannot collect it or use what is inside.
Referral link: The button below uses my Too Good To Go referral link. Any referral benefit and eligibility conditions are determined by Too Good To Go and may change.
The lunch menu advantage
Most restaurants, including ones that are genuinely expensive at dinner, offer a fixed weekday lunch menu (Tagesmenü/menu du jour) at a noticeably lower price than the equivalent dinner order. This is consistently the single best way to eat out regularly without the full restaurant price tag.
Other ways to cut the cost
- Bakeries and konditorei often serve good, cheap lunch options (sandwiches, quiches) well below restaurant prices
- University and workplace cafeterias are usually open to the public at a lower price point than nearby restaurants
- Asian and kebab/döner restaurants tend to offer some of the most consistent value for a quick meal out
Best for / avoid if
Best for: anyone eating out regularly on a workday, the lunch-menu habit alone changes the monthly total significantly.
Avoid if: you’re set on dinner à la carte at sit-down restaurants, no real shortcut changes that price bracket.
