Runza
1 / 29#29. Runza
- Rating: 3.9/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2204 North Lincoln Ave. Loveland, Colorado
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated cheap eats in Fort Collins by diners
Americans spend a lot of money on eating out—in 2024, that totaled $1.54 trillion, or nearly 59% of all food spending. So, it's only natural to want the best bang for your restaurant dollar.
Value has become a key component of what diners look for when they eat out, with more than 7 in 10 consumers eyeing menus for value meals. At the same time, many diners also look for something new and exciting, hoping to sample new flavors or food with ingredients that are too expensive to make at home.
Many ethnic cuisines also provide a lot of value because they aren't as expensive to produce. Many Mexican dishes fall into this category because tortillas are cheaper to produce than bread. Many Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Filipino, and Cambodian food, also rely on low-cost ingredients and simple food preparation techniques.
Food trucks and street food vendors also offer cheaper food, thanks to lower overhead costs. Their limited menus typically focus on one type of food, allowing them to simplify purchasing and pass the savings on in the form of lower prices.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cheap eats restaurants within 10 kilometers of the Fort Collins area using data from Yelp. Data is as of Aug. 8, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 20 reviews were considered, and a cost of "$" (out of 4) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
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MAD Greens - Fort Collins
2 / 29#28. MAD Greens - Fort Collins
- Rating: 3.9/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2120 East Harmony Road Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Vegetarian, Salad, Wraps
- Read more on Yelp
Spoons - Soups, Salads & Sandwiches - Fort Collins
3 / 29#27. Spoons - Soups, Salads & Sandwiches - Fort Collins
- Rating: 4.0/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4609 South Timberline Road Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Salad, Soup, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Genoa Coffee and Wine
4 / 29#26. Genoa Coffee and Wine
- Rating: 4.0/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2614 South Timberline Road Ste C101 Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Cups
5 / 29#25. Cups
- Rating: 4.0/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1033 South Taft Hill Road Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
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Starry Night Espresso Cafe
6 / 29#24. Starry Night Espresso Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (176 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 112 South College Ave. Ste 100 Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee Roasteries, Custom Cakes
- Read more on Yelp
Sally's Kitchen
7 / 29#23. Sally's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.0/5 (305 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4727 South Timberline Road Unit B Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Chinese, Noodles, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon
8 / 29#22. Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon
- Rating: 4.0/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 25 Old Town Sq Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Pubs, Music Venues, New American
- Read more on Yelp
Comet Chicken
9 / 29#21. Comet Chicken
- Rating: 4.1/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 126 West Mountain Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Salad, New American, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Mugs at CSU
10 / 29#20. Mugs at CSU
- Rating: 4.1/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 306 West Laurel St. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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The Breakfast Club
11 / 29#19. The Breakfast Club
- Rating: 4.1/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 121 West Monroe Drive Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
High Point Bar
12 / 29#18. High Point Bar
- Rating: 4.1/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 146 North College Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Pubs, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
Mugs Old Town
13 / 29#17. Mugs Old Town
- Rating: 4.1/5 (223 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 261 South College Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Mountain Cafe
14 / 29#16. Mountain Cafe
- Rating: 4.1/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 226 West Mountain Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: American, Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Howling Cow Cafe
15 / 29#15. Howling Cow Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5821 West County Road 54E Bellvue, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
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Deli-Works
16 / 29#14. Deli-Works
- Rating: 4.2/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6001 South College Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Delis
- Read more on Yelp
Maggies Tacos
17 / 29#13. Maggies Tacos
- Rating: 4.2/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1200 North College Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
Slyce Pizza
18 / 29#12. Slyce Pizza
- Rating: 4.3/5 (220 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 163 West Mountain Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
The Fox Den
19 / 29#11. The Fox Den
- Rating: 4.3/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1680 Laporte Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Themed Cafes, Internet Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Ft Collins Coffeehouse
20 / 29#10. Ft Collins Coffeehouse
- Rating: 4.4/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3761 South Mason St. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
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Ba-NOM-a-NOM
21 / 29#9. Ba-NOM-a-NOM
- Rating: 4.4/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Food Trucks, Breakfast & Brunch, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
Laporte Pizza
22 / 29#8. Laporte Pizza
- Rating: 4.4/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3208 West County Road 54G Laporte, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
DGT Tacos Fort Collins
23 / 29#7. DGT Tacos Fort Collins
- Rating: 4.4/5 (284 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 120 West Laurel St. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: New American, fast food, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
Maxline Brewing
24 / 29#6. Maxline Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2724 McClelland Drive Ste 190 Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Breweries, New American
- Read more on Yelp
The Taco Stop
25 / 29#5. The Taco Stop
- Rating: 4.6/5 (154 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2601 South Lemay Ave. Ste 30 Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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Butterfly Cafe
26 / 29#4. Butterfly Cafe
- Rating: 4.6/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 212 Laporte Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
Tortilleria Y Panaderia Las 4 Americas -Taqueria Express
27 / 29#3. Tortilleria Y Panaderia Las 4 Americas -Taqueria Express
- Rating: 4.6/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1669 South College Ave. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Bakeries, Grocery, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
Waltzing Kangaroo
28 / 29#2. Waltzing Kangaroo
- Rating: 4.7/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1109 West Elizabeth St. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Bakeries, Cafes, Australian
- Read more on Yelp
FoCo Cafe
29 / 29#1. FoCo Cafe
- Rating: 4.9/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 225 Maple St. Fort Collins, Colorado
- Categories: Soup, Cafes, Community Service/Non-Profit
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 388 metros.
