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.
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.
