This Copycat Restaurant Meal Plan turns a week of drive-throughs and steakhouse nights into budget-friendly dinners made right in your own kitchen. From a Chick-fil-A sandwich to an Olive Garden salmon to a Wendy’s Frosty for dessert — same flavors, fraction of the price.
In a house with 8 kids eating out at restaurants every week is simply not in the budget. So I have been recreating our family’s favorite restaurant meals at home for years. This week’s plan is all copycat recipes and every single one tastes just as good as the original — my family thinks so and honestly I do too.
If you love using Weekly Meal Plans, make sure to also check out Budget-Friendly Family Meal Plan, Family Dinner Meal Plan and One Bowl Meal Plan.
Why You’ll Love These Copycat Recipes
- Every recipe is a restaurant favorite made at home for significantly less than eating out
- Five completely different recipes — chicken, beef, salmon, salad, and a steakhouse classic
- Several recipes ready in 30 minutes or less — faster than waiting in a drive-through line
- Everything made with simple ingredients from any regular grocery store – less than $90 in groceries
Print Shopping List
Save time and money by checking your pantry, fridge, and freezer before heading to the store. Several of these recipes share pantry ingredients which helps to keep costs down.
Monday – Copycat Chick-fil-A Sandwich
Why wait in the drive-through when you can make this at home for $3.31 a serving. The chicken is perfectly breaded and seasoned just like the original and my family says it tastes even better. We make this on Monday nights now instead of hitting the drive-through and nobody misses it.
Estimated Cost: $13.23 Per Recipe, $3.31 Per Serving
Tuesday – Big Mac Salad
Everything you love about a Big Mac — the beef, the pickles, the cheese, and that signature sauce — in a fresh bowl for just $2.53 a serving. No bun, no drive-through line, and my family devours it every single time. This one is always gone before I can even sit down.
Estimated Cost: $15.18 Recipe, $2.53 per Serving
Wednesday – Alice Springs Chicken
Juicy chicken tops sautéed mushrooms, crispy bacon, and melted cheese for this Outback Steakhouse favorite! It is one of the most impressive dinners on this list and it costs a fraction of the restaurant price. My entire family said this was spot on and honestly tastes better than the original.
Estimated Cost: $13.23, $3.31 per Serving
Thursday – Texas Roadhouse Roadkill
This Texas Roadhouse Roadkill stacks juicy chopped beef with melty cheese and savory toppings for a fork-and-knife dinner that hits every time. Made with basic ingredients from any grocery store and on the table in less time than it would take to get a table at the restaurant.
Estimated Cost: $14.10 Recipe, $3.53 per Serving
Friday – Olive Garden’s Herb Grilled Salmon
Light flaky salmon finished with a buttery herb topping and a squeeze of lemon — this Olive Garden favorite comes together fast! At $5.73 a serving it is the most indulgent dinner of the week and still costs less than one entrée at the restaurant.
Estimated Cost: $22.91, $5.73 per Servings
Breakfast – Taco Bell Breakfast Crunchwrap
Crispy hash browns, scrambled eggs, and a creamy jalapeño sauce all wrapped up and toasted for this Taco Bell copycat recipe. It is the grab-and-go breakfast my family actually looks forward to. Make the filling ahead and morning assembly takes under 5 minutes.
Estimated Cost: $5.98, $2.99 per Serving
Dessert – Wendy’s Frosty
Thick chocolatey and made with just 3 ingredients! This copycat Wendy’s Frosty is the easiest dessert and my kids request it constantly. No ice cream maker needed!
Estimated Cost: $3.55, $0.59 per Servings
I created the Lazy Day Cooking Club to stock my freezer with meals to make dinner easy on a busy night. You will love that you just have to spend a few minutes getting things together and let the slow cooker handle the rest so dinner is ready when you get home.
Leftover Ideas
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken – Slice leftover chicken and serve over a salad the next day or chop into a wrap with lettuce and honey mustard
- Big Mac Salad – Use leftover ground beef in tacos or a quick rice bowl the next night
- Alice Springs Chicken – Slice and serve over pasta with the leftover mushrooms and a little cream for an easy next-day dinner
- Texas Roadhouse Roadkill – Leftover chopped beef makes incredible sliders or a quick quesadilla for lunch
- Olive Garden Salmon – Flake leftover salmon over a green salad with lemon vinaigrette for the best next-day lunch
FAQs
Yes! The Big Mac sauce, Alice Springs marinade, and Breakfast Crunchwrap filling can all be made 24 hours ahead.
The most expensive dinner this week is the Olive Garden Salmon at $5.73 a serving. A single Olive Garden entrée typically costs $18–25. Every recipe on this list saves money compared to eating out.
Absolutely! The Alice Springs Chicken works just as well with pork chops and the Big Mac Salad works with ground turkey instead of beef.
This Copycat Restaurant Meal Plan proves you do not need to spend a fortune eating out to enjoy your favorite restaurant flavors. If you try any of these recipes leave a star rating and a comment below. I love hearing which copycat won your family over and whether anyone could tell the difference from the original!
Easy Side Dish Recipes
See How We Calculate Recipe Cost (cost per serving explained).
