The Bay Area is known for its incredibly high prices, but there’s still a place where you can get a full meal for shockingly little money (I’ll tell you exactly how much below). That place is IKEA.
Most people recognize IKEA for their Scandinavian furniture. I recently bought a couch there, and their products are surprisingly high-quality and very inexpensive.
This Swedish obsession with democratizing furniture extends to their food as well. The IKEA restaurant is renowned for Swedish meatballs, but the best deals can be found at the bistro just past the checkout stand.
I recently visited the IKEA location in Emeryville, California, wanting to get lunch for myself, my wife, and three kids.
Typically, this could cost as much as $60 in San Francisco. I love our culinary scene, but it’s certainly not cheap.
At IKEA, it’s a different story. Guess how much my lunch for five people cost?
The answer: $7.95.
That was for five hotdogs, priced at $0.75 each at IKEA. We also got ice creams for all three kids, at $1.25 each.
Even at McDonald’s, you can’t find a deal like that in the Bay Area anymore. While at IKEA, you can also pick up a pack of meatballs for around $10, or if you’re really bold, a super inexpensive pack of frozen salmon.
In one of the most expensive regions of the world, IKEA is not just a little haven of Swedish culture; it’s also a haven of savings for people seeking a tasty, cheap meal.
