Your wallet's in your other pants, and you're scrounging around for lunch money. The quarters in your car, a dollar bill in your back pocket and a bunch of dimes and nickels in your desk drawer make up the $4 you have to buy your noontime sustenance.
It's a problem the Lunch Guys have faced many times (we're forgetful when it comes to wallets). But making a mountain of a lunch out of a molehill of change is actually no problem if you know where to look. Don't worry about squeezing the most food out of four clams -- we've squeezed it for you, with these, our best $4 lunches.
Tom: When searching for deals, you have to look beyond the obvious. Sure, dollar menus abound and I can do two double cheeseburgers, regular fry and small Coke for $4 at McDonald's. Better yet, go with three of Taco Bell's new Cheesy Bean and Rice burritos at 99 cents each. This packs in 1.5 pounds of food for $2.97, racking up a solid 600-calorie meal with 66 grams of fat, 180 grams of carbs and 39 grams of protein. Arby's has been known to sell five Beef ‘N Cheddar sandwiches for $5, which means you'd need a friend
cheeseburgers, but wasn't that you last week sneaking back to the office with a heavy sack of four double cheeseburgers? Four bucks for eight burgers?! That's not just a good deal, that's obscene. Even on the days when I have an Andrew Jackson in my pocket, I can't help running the menu permutations to make the most of my money. Two Wendy's chilis, a baked potato and a Frosty ... Burger King's triple cheeseburger, fries and drink ... anything at Taco Bell.
But one cheap meal that doesn't get the props it deserves is at a place without a dollar menu: Subway. Seriously, a terrific find for my $4 is Subway's deli sandwich -- the round version of the 6-inch, still with a healthy amount of bread, meat and topping choices. For $1.49, I can nab a ham sandwich, then tack on the 79-cent chips and a 99-cent drink for a steal of a meal. Sometimes I even tack on a cookie. The only drawback is it feels like I'm eating a bag lunch from my mom, who could pack 'em like a champ. But after a childhood of eating generic-brand cheese slices, I know the value of $4.
E-mail The Lunch Guys:
tomandchris@thelunchguys.com
to split the deal. But the best action is at 7-Eleven. Now 7-Eleven isn't technically a lunch spot, but there's no denying it's as accessible as most fast food places. And you can't beat two Big Bite Oscar Meyer all beef hot dogs for $1.89. Included in that price is free reign over the condiment bar, allowing you to heap enough chili, melted cheese and jalapenos on top to make your dog look more like a plate of super nachos. This is as good as a hot dog outside of Chicago gets. Let's assume you go with a 20-ounce Big Gulp for 89 cents. You still have enough money for a Hot Pocket or a taquito, or maybe even a lottery ticket so you won't have to worry about $4 lunches anymore.
Chris: Those dollar menus are friggin' amazing, aren't they, Tom? I notice you mention only two McDonald's double
