Favorite cheap eats in Paris

Burger with a big cornet of fries and an open niche off one of many streets, with maybe 8 stools and a couple of high-tops.
A kabob at one of the many North African kabob stands.
Mickey Dee's for an Egg McMuffin and delicious coffee at less than the cost in the US.

Gelato at Amorino on a side street before walking into the Luxembourg Garden.

And, delicious croissants and quiche from a neighborhood boulangerie.

Mi Va Mi for falafel - just as good as the famous stand directly across the street, but no long line of tourists who read about it in some guidebook.

Hank Burger on Rue des Archives for vegan burgers and fries (and I eat red meat and still think they serve a damn good burger).

Rotisserie chicken, kebabs, etc. from local joints or open air markets you'll pass along your way. Pop in and take a look. If it smells good, looks like it's just off the grill, and you want to do a picnic dinner, then this is a pretty cheap and easy way to have lunch or dinner.

Street crepes as long as I can see them pouring the batter and that it's not some pre-made, reheated crepe. More upscale, pricier sit-down restaurant crepes, I'd go to Breizh. Not cheap, but I don't feel it's overpriced either if you want a restaurant meal.

For breakfast, I'm generally going to find a corner bakery and get myself a pain au chocolat or a croissant and then get a bottle of juice or some coffee to go with it.

Café Med on the main street (rue St Louis en l'Ile) through Ile St Louis (the little island next to Nôtre Dame). It's in RS Paris guide, description says it's a crêpe restaurant - it is not, although they do have crêpes. It's a small, charming restaurant that serves 3 course dinners for 13-18 Euros. The food, the owner and the atmosphere are really nice / good.

I like street crêpes a lot but my only experience at a sit-down crêpe restaurant was a RS recommended one (La Crêpe Rit du Clown) in the 6th (St Germain) and it was so god awful I never tried another sit down one.

Cafés can be inexpensive (omelets, salads, soups, sandwiches, hamburgers & fries) and they are my favorite... sitting outside, relaxing, and people-watching.

Many bakeries have great sandwiches at a good price.

La Ciderie du Marais on Rue de Sevigne, right off Rue de Rivoli (Metro St. Paul). For weekday lunches, their crepe of the day is 10€ with a cup of cidre. It is a large Brittany style buckwheat gallette with different fillings. It is a small sit down place, but service is fast.

Miznon in the Marais. Great ratatoulli and roasted cauliflower.

For a distinctively French cheap chain restaurant try the Flams chain, which sells flammekueche - Alsace-style ultra-thin pizzas with cream cheese.

Definitely agree about Flam's! There's a few around- including one walking distance from La Tour Montparnasse and one at Grands Boulevards metro stop in the splendid Passage des Panoramas and across the street from the Passage Jouffroy. They have a well priced all you can eat option that includes dessert. I took my students there last year during our trip and they raved about it, especially the banana speculoos dessert.

Street crêpes.
monoprix - food hall is usually downstairs. Excellent delis/ prepared foods.
Chartier - go in off hours for no line up.
Patisseries/boulangeries - the Manon chain have wonderful mini quiche and sandwiches. Not touristy but good food sought by locals.

Kababs are always nice. Usually a pretty complete meal and not expensive.

For Paris, I like crepes. Crepes come in two "flavors", sweet and savory. Sweet are just desserts, filled with whip cream, nuttella, banana, strawberry, etc. Savory crepes make decent light meals, I usually get them with ham and eggs, or something similar, but they come with any combination of meats and cheeses.

The locals eat sandwiches often. Virtually any supermarket, boulangerie, charcutterie or even tabac has some ready made sandwiches on offer along with cold drinks that you can then take to a park to eat.

Boulangeries also often have ready made quiches that make good cheap meals.

Supermarkets will also have baguettes, sliced meats, cheeses, etc. that you can make your own picnic meal out of - you can probably put together meals for a group (or a couple meals plus enough left overs for a couple more meals) for less than 15 euro.

For breakfast, a brioche or pain au raisin/chocolate/pistachios is less than two euros.

Maoz! It's a falafel chain in St Germain des Pres and the Latin Quarter. For maybe 4.5 E you get 3 falafel in a pita with lettuce, then you pile unlimited amounts of about 8 salad/condiment choices on top. If I eat this as a late lunch I can maybe eat Amorino instead of dinner otherwise it is very filling.

I also stop at Monoprix or Carrefour for prepared salad or hummus.

I'm glad to hear about Hank! It was on my list for this trip but never got to that neighborhood! Starting the list or next time, lol!

There's also the Bouillon Chartier in the Opera/Faubourg-Montmartre area. They have a pretty authentic menu at excellent prices----but the quality isn't top quality. Still quite good for what it is.

ALSO---for a picnic, don't pick up packaged food at Monoprix our Carrefour City. You'll have a much better experience going into an actual boulangerie (bakery) to pick up a sandwich. (Trust me a pain au chocolat at Monoprix is not as scrumptious as a local boulangerie's) Support local businesses---while Paul and La Mie Caline have excellent quality compared to American chains---try supporting a ma' and pop boulangerie. Get a sandwich and try a delicious patisserie that catches your eye. It's real French food---and it's a religious experience at times!

Any bistro plate du jour or blue plate specific equivalent in USA...

Savory crepes and falafel are easy and generally inexpensive..