Lunch Specials in Kitchener-Waterloo

*Lunch specials in Kitchener-Waterloo — defined lunch menus, market counters and quick midday meals with the times that actually apply.*

Last reviewed: September 28, 2026 | KW Foodies Editorial Team

A good lunch special has three things: a fixed window, a known price and a menu you'd order anyway. Kitchener-Waterloo lunch options split into restaurant lunch menus with defined hours, market and campus counters for speed, and counter-service spots where the whole menu is effectively a lunch deal.

On this page

• Quick picks
• Restaurant lunch menus
• Market and campus counters
• Quick counter-service lunches
• Explore more cheap-eats guides
• How places are chosen
• Frequently asked questions

Quick picks

• Lunch menu until 3 p.m.: Kelseys Kitchener — Lunch Trios from $14.99
• On-campus budget meals: UW Food Services locations
• Fast counter lunch: Bao Sandwich Bar, Waterloo
• Bakery lunch plate: City Café Bakery, Kitchener

Restaurant lunch menus

Kelseys Kitchener

1440 South Ottawa Street, Kitchener | Best for: a defined lunch menu with a hard end time

The South Ottawa Street location serves its lunch and brunch menu until 3 p.m. daily, with dine-in Lunch Trios starting at $14.99. Arriving before the cutoff matters — the menu switches to regular pricing after 3 p.m.

Moxies Kitchener

385 Fairway Road South, Kitchener | Best for: a sit-down business-style lunch

Moxies lists a lunch menu for the Kitchener location and a weekday happy hour that starts in the afternoon. Convenient to Fairview Station if your group splits after lunch.

Back to quick picks

Market and campus counters

The indoor Kitchener Market Food Hall is closed to the public during the Market building's renovations, so it isn't a weekday lunch option for now. Some Food Hall vendors take part in the outdoor Saturday market, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; see the Market's Food Hall notice and Saturday market page.

On campus, UW Food Services publishes a meal-plan portal and a campus dining map; several residences and cafés offer budget-friendly meals. WUSA's student services add discount options — the student food deals guide covers eligibility.

Quick counter-service lunches

• Bao Sandwich Bar — steamed buns and baguette sandwiches; order and go.
• City Café Bakery — melts, sandwiches and soups; taxes included in posted prices.
• 1001 Nights Shawarma — wraps and bowls built to your appetite.

Explore more cheap-eats guides

• Cheap Eats and Food Deals in Kitchener-Waterloo (the main guide)
• Meals Under $15 in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Happy Hour Food and Drink Deals in KW
• Student Food Deals and Budget Dining Near Campus

How places are chosen

This is an editorial list. Restaurants cannot buy inclusion or a higher position; paid content is labelled separately.

Frequently asked questions

Which restaurants have lunch specials in Kitchener-Waterloo?

Kelseys Kitchener runs a Lunch Trios menu until 3 p.m., and Moxies Kitchener lists a lunch menu for its Kitchener location. Market and campus counters offer individual dishes in the same price range.

What time do lunch specials end?

Kelseys switches after 3 p.m. Market vendors and campus counters follow their own posted hours. Confirm the day's window before heading out.

Where is the fastest cheap lunch downtown?

The bakery and shawarma counters downtown. The indoor Kitchener Market Food Hall is closed during renovations.