Aug 11th 2026
A different scratch-made meal is $9.99 every day of the week at Cotton Patch Cafe. The selection rotates daily, it’s dine-in only, and it runs while supplies last — so knowing which day brings which plate is the difference between showing up for chicken fried steak and showing up for tilapia. Here’s the full daily lineup, what each meal normally costs, and how to find the nearest table.
Key Takeaways
One scratch-made meal is $9.99 every single day, and the selection changes daily.
Seven meals rotate through the lineup, from hand-breaded chicken fried steak to a build-your-own vegetable platter.
The deepest discount is chicken fried steak — normally $14.99, so you save $5.00.
Dine-in only, while supplies last. It isn't available for pickup or delivery.
Available at all 46 Cotton Patch Cafe locations across Texas and New Mexico.
A different meal drops to $9.99 each day, and all seven rotate through the week. Every one is made from scratch in the kitchen that day — hand-breaded, not pulled from a freezer bag — and every one comes as a full plate with sides, not an entrée on its own.
Day | The $9.99 Meal | What Comes With It |
|---|---|---|
Monday | Chicken Fried Steak | Cream or jalapeño gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, bacon green beans |
Tuesday | Chicken Fried Chicken | Cream or jalapeño gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, bacon green beans |
Wednesday | Meatloaf | Homemade tomato glaze, garlic mashed potatoes, bacon green beans |
Thursday | Chicken Tenders | Cream gravy or your choice of dipping sauce, french fries |
Friday | Blackened Tilapia | Cajun-seasoned, seasoned rice, garlic mashed potatoes, bacon green beans |
Saturday | Big TX BLT ⚠️ CONFIRM DAY | Bacon, lettuce, tomato and Texas spread on butter-grilled Texas toast, french fries |
Sunday | Vegetable Platter ⚠️ CONFIRM DAY | Any five sides, including fried okra, cinnamon apples and broccoli rice casserole |
Lineup and pricing verified August 2026. Selection is subject to change — check with your location.
How Much You Actually Save on Each DayThe $9.99 price isn’t the same discount every day, because the meals don’t normally cost the same. Chicken fried steak carries the deepest cut at $5.00 off, and the two chicken-fried plates are the only days the savings hit five dollars.
Meal | Regular Price | You Save |
|---|---|---|
Chicken Fried Steak | $14.99 | $5.00 |
Chicken Fried Chicken | $14.99 | $5.00 |
Meatloaf | $12.99 | $3.00 |
Blackened Tilapia | $12.99 | $3.00 |
Chicken Tenders | $12.79 | $2.80 |
Big TX BLT | $12.69 | $2.70 |
Vegetable Platter | $11.99 | $2.00 |
Regular prices verified against the $9.99 Texas Value Meals menu in August 2026.
Why the Special Is Dine-In Only
The $9.99 price applies to dine-in orders only, and that’s a kitchen decision rather than a marketing one. Every one of these plates is hand-breaded and cooked to order — the steak is battered by hand, the cream gravy is made from scratch, and the rolls come out of the oven fresh through the day. Food built that way is at its best about ninety seconds after it leaves the pass, which is why it isn’t offered for pickup or delivery at this price.
It also means the special runs while supplies last on the day it’s offered. Once the day’s allotment is gone, it’s gone.
Where to Find Daily Lunch Specials Near You
The $9.99 rotation runs at all 46 Cotton Patch Cafe locations across Texas and New Mexico, from the original restaurant in Nacogdoches to Lubbock, Round Rock, Clovis and the DFW suburbs. A few things worth knowing before you go:
The daily selection is consistent across locations, but availability depends on the day’s supply at your restaurant.
The special can’t be combined with other coupons, discounts or promotions.
Sides can be swapped at most locations — ask your server about the fried okra or the cinnamon apples.
Joining the eClub adds a free appetizer on top of whatever the day’s plate happens to be.
Cotton Patch Cafe took the Gold Award for Best Cheap Eats in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s 2026 DFW Favorites Readers’ Choice Awards, which is a fair summary of what the $9.99 rotation is built to do.
Find Today's $9.99 Plate
46 locations across Texas and New Mexico. Dine-in only, while supplies last.
Find a Location Join the eClubWhich restaurants have specials on a Monday?
Cotton Patch Cafe runs a $9.99 special every day of the week, including Monday, when the plate is hand-breaded chicken fried steak with scratch-made cream gravy. It's dine-in only and available at all 46 locations across Texas and New Mexico while supplies last.
Who has the best food deals today?
At Cotton Patch Cafe, one scratch-made meal drops to $9.99 every day, and the selection rotates. The chicken-fried days carry the largest discount at $5.00 off the regular $14.99 price. Because the meals are cooked to order, the deal is offered for dine-in only.
What restaurants have great lunch specials?
Look for restaurants that rotate a full plate rather than discounting a single item. Cotton Patch Cafe's $9.99 rotation includes an entrée plus sides — garlic mashed potatoes and bacon green beans on most days — which is why the value holds up against smaller-portion lunch deals.
Can I get the $9.99 special for takeout or delivery?
No. The $9.99 daily special is dine-in only. Hand-breaded, cooked-to-order food travels poorly, so the price applies when you eat in the restaurant. The full Cotton Patch Cafe menu is available for pickup and delivery at regular pricing.
Does the daily special change by location?
The daily rotation is the same across all 46 restaurants, but availability depends on supply at your location on that day. The special can't be combined with other coupons or promotions. Find your nearest Cotton Patch Cafe to check hours before you go.