Top Ten Restaurants for Students in the UK
Going out for dinner (or breakfast, or lunch…) is such a treat. But finding a place to eat that has good and cheap food can be tricky – to help, here are the best restaurants to visit.
If you fancy going out for dinner, but don’t fancy spending a fortune, you’ve come to the right place.
The key to finding a great place to eat out is not only looking for restaurants that serve your favorite foods, but also ones with generous student discounts. Luckily for you, we know of plenty that does both.
Wondering where to eat tonight? Read on for our list of the best restaurants to try…
Best restaurant chains in the UK
Here are some nice places to eat at affordable prices:
1. BrewDog
- Best for – Burgers, pizza, and beer
- Price range – Medium
- Student discount – Burger or pizza plus a Punk IPA for £10 (£15 in London).
If you haven’t already, it’s definitely worth heading to a BrewDog restaurant for dinner. As well as their main student discount deal (above), they also run free pint offers pretty regularly, which we post in the deals section of our site.
And as an added perk, check out their Dog Mail scheme – it lets you send a postcard to a friend in another city (even internationally) which they can pick up from their local BrewDog bar.
2. Nando’s
- Best for – Peri-peri chicken
- Price range – Medium
- Student discount – None, but they do give a 20% discount to emergency service workers, so student nurses, for example, might be eligible.
Nando’s is a student classic and one of the best places to go for dinner.
They’re best known for their chicken dishes, but they actually also have some really tasty vegetarian food like the beanie wrap and veggie sides including coleslaw, creamy mash, and more.
3. McDonald’s
- Best for – Cheap and quick burgers, fries, and chicken nuggets
- Price range – Low
- Student discount – Free Cheeseburger, Mayo Chicken, or McFlurry when you buy an Extra Value or Wrap Meal.
There are so many McDonald’s restaurants around the country that, wherever you are in the UK, there’s bound to be one near you.
It’s no secret that McDonald’s has some super cheap food on its menu – but not all students know that there are loads of ways to get their meals for even less.
4. Las Iguanas
- Best for – Latin American food and cocktails
- Price range – Medium
- Student Discount – 25% off food and drinks from Sunday to Thursday (in Scotland it’s just 25% off food).
Las Iguanas isn’t only one of the best restaurants in the UK, it also has a great deal for students, making them perfect for anyone looking to eat well on a budget.
They also have free cocktails on offer from time to time, so keep an eye out on our deals page to catch the best offers.
5. Shake Shack
- Best for – Burgers and milkshakes
- Price range – Low – Medium
- Student discount – Buy one burger, get one free.
If you’re looking for good burgers at decent prices, we’d recommend trying Shake Shack.
They use local produce for their meals, including Aberdeen Angus Beef which is grass-fed in Scotland, pork that’s been raised on a family farm, and chicken that’s British and cage-free.
6. Chiquito
- Best for – Mexican food and cocktails
- Price range – Medium
- Student Discount – 25% off when ordering 2 or more main meals.
From tortillas to burgers to fajitas, there are so many great dishes at Chiquito.
They have a fair number of restaurant branches in the UK, so if you’re hoping to find a Mexican restaurant nearby, try Chiquito.
Alongside their main meals, you could try their cocktails or mocktails, or even one of the tequilas on offer there (but please drink responsibly!).
7. Revolution
- Best for – Bar food and drinks
- Price range – Medium
- Student Discount – 25% off food on Sunday to Thursday plus reduced prices on selected drinks.
Revolution (a.k.a. Revs) is ideal for bar meals and a lively atmosphere.
Their menu includes warm duck salad, nachos, pizza, and cookie dough s’more. We’re sold.
8. YO! Sushi
- Best for – Sushi
- Price range – Low – Medium
- Student Discount – 20% off food.
Depending on how many dishes you buy at YO! Sushi can start to get a bit pricey. But keep in mind the 20% student discount – this will help a lot.
As well as their savory sushi, you can also get indulgent sweet treats like a chocolate brownie with salted caramel sauce and strawberry cheesecake mochi (cheesecake in a sweet rice shell).
9. Pizza Hut
- Best for – Pizza and pasta
- Price range – Medium
- Student Discount – 20% off food from Sunday to Thursday.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get much better than Pizza Hut’s stuffed-crust pizzas – you discover you can get them with 20% off.
10. Tortilla
- Best for – Burritos, tacos, quesadillas and nachos
- Price range – Low – Medium
- Student Discount – 10% off.
If you’re in the mood for tacos and burritos, Tortilla is a great place to eat. They’re best known for these dishes, but we also recommend trying their quesadillas and nachos.
Their portions are pretty sizeable, and they have reasonable prices (which are better still with a 10% student discount!).
