Fridays are for treating yourself – without your bank account crying in the corner. Whether you’ve blown the budget on oat lattes or just love a bargain, we’ve rounded up the best cheap eats on the Gold Coast to kickstart your weekend without financial regret.

From drool-worthy steaks to fish & chips that won’t cost your firstborn, here’s where to eat well for less this (and every other) Friday.

NORTH GC

• Paradise Point Bowls Club: Lunch deals aren’t just for pensioners! $13 Lunch Super Saver ($16 for visitors). Choose from a delicious lineup of meals available every day from 11:30am – 2pm. Cnr Sunbird & Thrush Ave, Paradise Point
• The Club at Parkwood Village: Get 1 free kid’s meal (ages 3-12) with every adult main purchase every Friday from 5:30 pm at The Club! Want to sweeten the deal? Upgrade for $6.50 to add a small drink and ice cream. 76 – 122 Napper Road, Parkwood

MID GC

• Coast: It’s not often fancy meets frugal, so enjoy this rare catch! Get a 3-course shared lunch banquet for just $49pp between 12-2:30 pm Friday to Sunday. Level 1, Ocean by Meriton, 86 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise
• Waxy’s: Nothing beats fish n’ chips, except cheap fish n’ chips on a Friday! Get beer battered flathead with crispy golden chips and a side salad for only $15! 3206 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
• The Sporting Globe: Kick off the weekend right with Footy Fridays! Enjoy an All-Star Platter for just $29.90 or a Parma & Pint for the same price between 5-7pm. Cnr Cavill Ave & Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise

• The Island: Succulent minute steak frites with bearnaise sauce for just $16, or throw in a Roma tomato and basil salad with aged balsamic for $19 from 11:30am – 3pm Monday to Friday. But wait, there’s more! From 11:30am – 3pm on Fridays enjoy wood-fired sangas for just $16, baby! 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
• Sports Bar: You’ll be praying your next live sports event falls on a Friday with 50% off 1KG of wings at Sports Bar! No matter the score, you’re winging from 11am – 10pm every Friday! The Star Gold Coast, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach
• Apres Surf: Friday nights at Après Surf just got an upgrade with their new Steak Frites Baguette – flank steak, house-made herb butter sauce, and crispy fries, all tucked into a freshly baked Burleigh Baker baguette. All that goodness for just $25. Name a better way to end the week… we’ll wait. Shop 1/1837 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads

SOUTH GC

• Frida Sol: Friday arvos just got a glow-up—think $25 Corona Buckets, $12 Margs, $6 House Tap Beer & Wine, and a $15 trio of Mexicana dips from 2–5pm. Absolute. Vibe. Activated. Level 1, 1176 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach
• Las Palmas: Feelin’ fancy? Head to Las Palmas for $2 Oysters and drink specials from 9-10pm. Upstairs, 1097 Gold Coast Hwy, Palm Beach
• Burgster: Fridays are all about chicken at Burgster. Grab a $10 Chicken, lettuce, mayo burger or throw in some fries for an additional $5. 4/10 Philippine Parade, Palm Beach
• Lucia Tapas: Tugun’s happiest hours? More like tastiest hours. From Wednesday to Friday, 4–6pm, snack on a $10 Chef’s Selection Tapas Menu while sipping $15 Margs, $7 Lagers & Wines and $30 Sangria Jugs. Big flavours, small prices. 1/445 Golden Four Drive, Tugun
• Tugun Tavern: Friday nights = Smokey BBQ Rib heaven. Get 350g for $20 or go big with 700g for $30, served with crispy chips and creamy slaw. Available from 5pm. Corner of Toolona St & Golden Four Dr, Tugun

Words by Chelsea Ipsen

Because Thursdays deserve more than toast for dinner, we’ve rounded up the best cheap eats across the Gold Coast to carry you through to the weekend. Whether you’re chasing tacos, parmis, burgers or a solid steak (with a cheeky beer on the side), this list has your name all over it. From north to south, here we go.

NORTH GC

• Pimpama Pavilion: All-day burger and beer for $25 (or swap for wine/soft drink). Casual, easy and covers all bases. 5 Dixon Dr, Pimpama
• The Boathouse Tavern: $39.90 ribs and wings for when you’re extra hungry (or sharing… maybe). 101 Dreamworld Pkwy, Coomera
• Reds Kitchen & Bar: Premium steaks from $33 for those wanting to level up their Thursday feed without blowing the budget. Shop 46E Sanctuary Cove Village 4601, Masthead Way, Hope Island
  

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• Paradise Point Bowls Club: $14 schnitzel night with $5 toppers: Parmi, Meat Lovers, or Hawaiian. Budget-friendly and next-level satisfying. Cnr Sunbird & Thrush Ave Paradise Point
• Helensvale Tavern: Shank & Shiraz for $20. Coming into the cooler months, this sounds damn fine. 8 Sir John Overall Dr, Helensvale
• Club Parkwood: Sink your teeth into a juicy rump steak, done your way, with chips, salad, and your choice of sauce, for just $25 from 5:30–8:30pm. Classic done well. 76/76-122 Napper Rd, Parkwood

MID GC

• COAST: $25 steak night with a 200g Angus rump steak, fries and herb butter. Terrace only. Ocean by Meriton, Level 1/86 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise
• Waxy’s Irish Pub: Any pizza on the menu for $15. No notes. 3206 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
• House of Brews: $19 rump steak day with fries, cooked your way. Add sauces or sides if you’re feeling fancy. 17 Orchid Ave, Surfers Paradise
• Hyde Paradiso: $20 burgers by the beach with fries from 4pm. Take your pick of a burger + fries – ocean views thrown in for free. Level 2/8 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise
• Steampunk Surfers Paradise: Locals, this one’s for you! Thursday night brings 50% off selected menu items for locals. Wow! Perfect excuse for a midweek outing. L1 3113 Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise

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• The Cavill Hotel: Burger night from 5pm with $17 burgers in the heart of Surfers. Easy, affordable and guaranteed to hit the spot. 46 Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise
• The Sporting Globe: Classic burgers from $16.9 (or $20.9 for signature), all served with beer-battered steak fries. Oh, yeah. Robina Town Centre, 19 Robina Town Centre Dr, Robina and Cnr Cavill Avenue and Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
• The Island: Pizza & Pasta Amore is calling. Score any wood-fired pizza or pasta plus a select drink for $30 from 5–9pm. Carb-loading never looked so good. 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
• Longboards: Voted one of Australia’s best burger joints get in and try $17 selected burgers and $15 cocktails all day! 9 Hamilton Avenue, Surfers Paradise
• Montezuma’s Surfers Paradise: Buy one main, get one free. Two-up Thursday just got delicious (and way less offensive to your bank account). Aloha Apartments, 8/12 Trickett St, Surfers Paradise
• Gold Coast Tavern: $20 schnitzels ($22 non-members) with chips and salad. Make it great with $3 toppers like parmi, Hawaiian or boscaiola. 150 Bundall Rd, Bundall
• Beach Hotel Broadbeach: Taco Thursday = $6 tacos (minimum two- easy done). Choose from mushroom and feta, prawn pork carnitas and beef. Cheap and available all day long. Looks like we’re coming back for a second sitting. 50 Surf Parade, Broadbeach

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• The Lucky Squire: $25 parmy night with chips. Golden, cheesy and perfect. 3 Oracle Blvd, Broadbeach
• Mermaid Beach Tavern: A proper pub feed with option- $26 steak plus your choice of topper (hello garlic prawns, onion rings, grilled mushroom or chicken wings). 2500 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach
• Mermaid Beach SLSC: Parmi night done right. $19 gets you a parmi with a range of toppings, plus chips and salad. 172 Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach
• Bine Beer Bar: Parmi & Beer night = $20 parmi + $6 tap refills. Say less. 1/28 Chairlift Ave, Mermaid Beach
• The Henchman: We’re big fans of the Henchman’s relaxed outdoor vibe, but we’re even bigger fans of their $12 selected burger and drink combo. Get yours from 12pm every Thursday! 6/8 Henchman Avenue, Miami
• Precinct Brewing: Beer jug and pizza for $40, plus meat tray raffles from 6pm. It’s a win-win (hopefully). 17 Christine Ave, Miami
• Apres Surf: $1 dumplings every Thursday night from 5pm (yes, really). Pork and vegan options available, plus free stand-up comedy from 8pm. Dinner and a show, sorted. 1/1837 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads
• Hail Mary: Thursday Fiesta gets you nachos, four tacos and two drinks (beer or wine) for $55 from 5pm. That’s a deal if we’ve ever seen one. Upgrade to Classic Margaritas for $5 extra each (highly recommended). 26 James St, Burleigh Heads
  

SOUTH GC

• Burgster: Someone once said that cheeseburgers are good for the soul (it was us, we are someone), so excuse us while we get around Burgster’s Cheeseburger Thursdays with $16 singles, $22 doubles and $28 triples with fries. 4/10 Philippine Parade, Palm Beach
• Las Palmas: $7 tacos bringing the flavour every Thursday. Options of haloumi, beef, chicken, prawn, pork belly or flathead. Upstairs 1097 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach
• Currumbin RSL: Members can tuck into a $25 steak night, with free trivia kicking off from 7pm. Steak, smarts and prizes- not a bad combo. 165 Duringan St, Currumbin
• Tommy’s Taco: $39 all-you-can-eat tacos. Go hard or go home. 140 Duringan St, Currumbin
• Tugun Tavern: $17.50 parmy night from 5pm. Reliable, affordable and always a crowd-pleaser. Corner of Toolona Street & 437 Golden Four Dr, Tugun

Words by Chelsea Ipsen

Thank God it’s Monday! … said no one, ever. Let’s face it, the day gets about as much love as peak hour commutes and the Orange Creams (don’t @ us) left lurking in the office bickie jar.

The day gets a bad wrap, but one thing Monday does have going for it is sweet dining deals. So if the prospect of a tasty treat to look forward to is all it takes to summon a modicum of enthusiasm for the day (and week) ahead, ‘tis but a small price to pay, if you ask us (literally, these deals are cheap as chips y’all).

NORTH GC

• Pimpama Pavilion: Two-for-one meals and drinks from 5pm-8:30pm? That’s not a special, that’s a strategy. Grab a mate (or don’t) and make the most of a deal that’s double the fun without doubling the spend. 5 Dixon Drive, Pimpama
• Boathouse Tavern: Steak night done right for $23. The Boathouse delivers a solid, no-nonsense feed that pairs perfectly with a waterfront breeze and a long exhale after big Monday. 101 Dreamworld Pkwy, Coomera

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• Paradise Point Bowls Club: Don’t let Mondays be a drag: grab a drink at the Paradise Point Bowls Club bar and unlock a stacked meal deal – $17 for members and $19 for non-members- with everything from schnitzels and burgers to curries, pastas and prawns on offer. Big variety, even better value, and available from 5:30pm–8pm every Monday (and Tuesday if you’re backing it up). Cnr Sunbird & Thrush Ave, Paradise Point
• Crafty’s: If your Monday calls for a succulent steak and zero restraint, Crafty’s has you sorted. Steak night comes in hot from $25, stacked with bottomless fries to keep things dangerously indulgent. Carb loading? Absolutely! It’s called living your best life. 147/189 Brisbane Rd, Biggera Waters

MID GC

• Cavill Hotel: Slide into the week with a cheeky little power move at The Cavill. From 5pm–7pm, food is half price. We hear you thinking, nah, chicks, you’ve got it wrong, that can’t be right. And to that, we say- go find out for yourself. We promise we won’t say we told you so… 46 Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise
• The Island:There’s nothing like a long list of $18 daily lunch specials (yes, Monday included) to lure you out of the office break room to the sublime rooftop at The Island. With everything from chicken parmis and steak frites to burgers, fish and wood-fired sangas on the lineup, it’s too good to turn down. Available 11:30am–3pm. 3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise

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• Waxy’s Irish Pub: An $8 chicken schnitzel almost feels illegal in this economy. Thankfully, we’re rule breakers. Waxy’s keeps it old-school, no frills and very easy on the wallet. 3206 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
• Sporting Globe: Game on. Half-price wings and ribs headline the night, with plenty to keep the whole crew happy. It’s all fun and built for a proper Monday session. Robina Town Centre, 19 Robina Town Centre Dr, Robina and Cnr Cavill Avenue & Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
• Gold Coast Tavern: Monday Mayhem lives up to the name with $20 dinners ($22 for non-members) that don’t mess around. They’ve got it all, from salt and pepper squid and a crispy skin salmon bowl to prawn linguine and chicken tikka curry. It’s hearty, it’s satisfying, and it’s every Monday from 5:30pm. 150 Bundall Rd, Bundall

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• Beach Hotel Broadbeach: Keep it classic at Beach Hotel with a 250g rump steak, chips, house garden salad, and a choice of sauce, for $27. It’s hearty, reliable and hits the spot when cooking feels like a personal attack. 50 Surf Parade, Broadbeach
• Mermaid Beach SLSC: Seafood lovers, this one’s for you. Barramundi Monday clocks in at $19, and if you’ve got little mouths to feed, kids eat free with any main. Dinner sorted, no drama required. 172 Hedges Ave, Mermaid Beach
• Bine Beer Bar: Simple pleasures done right. Bine is slinging $12 cheeseburgers with fries, making it dangerously easy to say yes. Craft beer is optional, but an obvious choice. 1/28 Chairlift Ave, Mermaid Beach

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• Precinct Brewing: Margy Monday is calling. Lock in a Margherita pizza and two margaritas for $40, then keep the good times rolling with $14 refills if you’re not quite ready to call it a night. It’s casual, it’s dangerously easy to settle into, and exactly how Mondays should be done. 17 Christine Ave, Miami
• Apres Surf: Cheap, cheerful and exactly what you want post-beach or post-work. $6.50 cheeseburgers make this a no-brainer Monday pit stop that feels almost too good to be real. 1/1837 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads
• Burleigh Pavilion: Turn Monday into a full Italian affair with Burleigh Pav’s Mamma Mia Night. Think arancini, cheesy gnocchi, prawn pasta and a proper lasagna moment, plus a sweet pistachio ganache and Nutella pizza to finish if you’re doing it right. We know you never choose wrong. 3a/43 Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads

SOUTH GC

• Tugun Tavern: Steak night for $16.95? That’s a 200g rump steak with chips, salad and your choice of sauce, mind you. Tugun Tavern is quietly winning Mondays with a deal that punches well above its weight. No fake news, just a seriously good price. From 5pm.Corner of Toolona Street &, Golden Four Dr, Tugun

Words by Chelsea Ipsen