$3.50 Meals: Where To Find Budget-Friendly Yummy Food Like Char Siew Curry Mee & Dan Dan Mian

Coffee shops rented out by HDB under the Price Quality Method tender, or which are renewing their leases, are required to provide a mix of budget meal and drink offerings, as part of efforts to help Singaporeans with their daily living expenses. To ease operators’ and stallholders’ transition into offering budget meal options, HDB offers a 5 percent discount on the renewal rents when they include budget meals in their menus.

Currently, around 80 coffee shops are listed on the BudgetMealGoWhere website, and the goal is for all 374 HDB rental coffee shops to offer affordable options by 2026.

To identify stalls offering budget meal options, look out for the budget meal decal stickers displayed on the signage. With more coffee shops coming on board, diners can look forward to more budget meal options that cater to diverse tastes and preferences.

Get more bang for your buck

So, what’s in a budget meal? Well, you’ll be happy to know that they are full meals like noodle and rice-based dishes. For example, a cai png dish consisting of two veggies and a meat could cost between $3 and $3.50, while hot drink options could be priced between 70 cents to $1.20.

Budget meal scheme benefits hawkers too

Despite the lower profit margins, Shaik Syed Ali, owner of halal hawker stall Habib's Express in Sengkang, shared that he has seen an increase in business since he started offering his kway teow goreng as a budget meal.

“The budget meal attracts customers to our stall. When a family of four comes by, one person may choose the budget meal and the others choose other items on the menu, so end of the day, we still earn,” he said.

Offering budget meals is also a way for him to give back to society. “There are rental flats nearby so we see more elderly and low-income families. When these residents come by, we will also do more by packing a larger portion for them,” he added.

Hungry to try the budget meals? Here are five makan picks by 8days.sg:

Dan Dan Mian With Minced Meat from Kungfu Mala Hotpot, $3.50

You'll be hard-pressed to find this popular Sichuan noodle dish at a better price elsewhere. Plus, the serving is pretty decent too. Springy, al dente la mian is slathered with savoury minced pork sauce, then topped with crushed peanuts, sliced cucumber, and chilli oil. It’s rich, nutty and slurp-worthy.

Kungfu Mala Hotpot is at Broadway coffee shop, #01-01, Blk 115C Alkaff Crescent, S343115.

Chicken Chop Rice from Ice Bear Western, $3.50

Not only did this dish satisfy our taste buds, it also impressed with its restaurant-worthy presentation. The flavourful grilled chicken thigh is succulent, with nice, crisp skin. You can pair it with your choice of mushroom, black pepper, or barbecue sauce. That’s not all, it comes with a side of fresh salad for a balanced meal.

Ice Bear Western is at 旺Wang coffee shop, #01-01, Blk 116 Jalan Tenteram, S320116.

Curry Mee With Char Siew from Mister Chicken Rice, $3.50

For $3.50, you get around seven tender slices of char siew, tau pok, potato chunks, and yellow noodles smothered with mildly spicy curry. We like that the curry is rich, aromatic, and not too thick. You may find yourself tempted to slurp the bowl dry – like we did.

Mister Chicken Rice is at 旺Wang coffee shop, #01-01, Blk 116 Jalan Tenteram, S320116.

Kway Teow Goreng from Habib’s Express, $3.50

Though this no-frills halal kway teow goreng does not come with meat, it is scrumptious and rather filling. Freshly fried upon order with egg and shredded cabbage, the dish is a harmonious blend of flavours and textures and not too spicy. Our only complaint is it’s a little on the oily side, so have it in moderation.

Habib’s Express is at Foodhub coffee shop, #01-01 Blk 455 Sengkang West Ave, S792455.

Fishball Minced Meat Noodles from Ding Ji Fishball Noodle, $3.50

Love bak chor mee? Ding Ji Fishball Noodle offers a classic version done right. You can expect the usual fixings of seasoned minced meat, fish cake slices, meat and fish balls, and springy mee pok tossed in chilli and vinegar, and a bowl of light, clear soup. Also available in soup version.

Ding Ji Fishball Noodle is at Foodhub大食汇 coffee shop, #01-01 Blk 455 Sengkang West Ave, S792455.