I've found in my travels that it still is possible to get a tasty, filling prepared lunch for under $5.00. Here are some of my favorites (prices include tax):

California/Nevada/Arizona: In-N-Out Burger #3 combo, $4.16. Freshly made burger and fries along with a soda. A zillion times better than McDonald's or Burger King because it's much fresher, with quality ingredients.

Richmond, Virginia: Ukrop's supermarket, chicken quesadilla combo, $4.66. Ukrop's, a locally-owned upscale supermarket chain in Richmond and Fredericksburg, has an excellent café at many of its locations. They'll make pretty much any lunch food to order, including this excellent quesadilla: chicken or steak and fresh vegetables grilled inside a whole wheat tortilla, with generous portions of salsa, guacamole, and sour cream, as well as a side of homemade chips and a medium soda with free refill. The quesadilla, as well as many sandwiches, are available with chips and drink for under $5.00.

Charlottesville, Virginia: Asian Express, lunch special, $4.65. This hole-in-the-wall on West Main Street, near the University of Virginia, has a wide selection of Chinese and Japanese menu items available at this price, including rice, egg roll, and a can of soda. Asian Express is the least greasy Chinese restaurant I've found in Charlottesville, and they use more desirable cuts of chicken than some of the other Chinese places here...all for a very low price. Dinner specials are $1.00 more. Web site, with menu is available at www.newasianexpress.com.

What are some other "cheap but good" places around the US, or around the world, serving under-$5.00 lunches?

Giant borritos in the mexican market by BV in Napa

What I had today - spicy chicken over rice with some lettuce masquarding as lettuce from just about any street corner in Manhattan - $4.50. White sauce, extra hot sauce.

Kabobs in Istanbul from the venders in Taskim Square, something like 50 cents.

I LOVE lunch at Calypso Cafe locations in Nashville. It's Caribbean food with a variety of salads and sandwiches, as well as barbecued, jerk, and curry chicken. OK so you caught me and the lunch is $5-7, not necessarily less than $5, but still a good deal! My favorites are the Lucayan salad w/two corn muffins ($6.32), chicken breast sandwich with honey lime dressing, chips, and a side item ($5.72) and quarter white meat chicken with two side items ($5.81.) Yum!

Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee

Well under $5 @ Newton Food Center

Can't wait to go back for some more...

You can get a great lunch of Chinese cuisine for under $5 in New York....especially in Chinatown.

Doenjang Jigae ( aka bean paste stew with shrimps, mussels, potatos, veggies ), Gimbap ( Korean Makisushi with different fillings ) and five+ sidedishes including kimchi for five bucks. :) Hard to find in Seoul but plenty of choice elsewhere in Korea.

Our Aussie compatriots provide us with two great places for a "Pie n" Peas" at low cost... Harry's Cafe de Wheels in Woolloomooloo, Sydney... http://www.harryscafedewheels.com.au/ and Yatala Pie Shop, in Queensland, South of Brisbane... http://www.around-oz.com/best_in_oz/bakeries/yatala.htm

I'll be tucking into grub at these two places in a couple months and can hardly wait.

In my own "neck o' the woods," there's the great In n' Out Burger chain... http://www.in-n-out.com/ and for a decent, snappy-skinned hot dog with chili that sticks to everything it comes in contact with, there's world-famous Pink's... http://www.pinkshollywood.com/ I actually had a business lunch at Pink's the other day with a well-known Hollywood Type... People were so involved in their eats that only the tourists were eyeballing him and one came over and asked for an autograph. The fellow signed a paper that the youngster provided and then pressed his chili thumbprint under that! We got a good laugh out of that!

EZE- Tenedor Libre (all you can eat buffet, with meat cooked to order) for AR$17, which is about $6, slightly more than your request. Of course that´s for a salad, 3 steaks, and sausage :cool:

California roll and small salad, Rock Sushi, Rock Road, Glen Rock, NJ

Well ... this has to be cheating..... but the list in Thailand would be too long to post :D Had one of the best bowls of mee noodles ever for about US 50 cents at a street stand accross from Sim Lim Square. Oh... to be in Thailand (currently in Rome where $5 won't buy a glass of coke at a restaurant!)

Boston/Cambridge/Brookline: Burrito from Anna's. A small is only $3.10 after tax, a large $4.15.

Boston/Cambridge/Brookline: Burrito from Anna's. A small is only $3.10 after tax, a large $4.15.

Anna's is great. Downtown go with Herrera's Burritos from the carts - different but really tasty.

Other Boston financial district highlights:
For very good Chilean (yes, Chilean) sandwiches slightly over $5 check out:
Chacarero next to Filene's basement. You'll see the huge line. On for ordering, one for getting 'em

http://www.chacarero.com/menu.html

Jane's salad buffet on Franklin Street at $5.25 a pound. Great sushi and other asian food. Great selection (limited sushi) and can't beat the price. About 12-14 pieces usually run me $7.00 or so

Chipotle - Mexican fast food...Their Chicken Fajita burrito is HUGE. It was a steal at $4.75 a while back but now they jacked up their price to $5.25. Ok deal nonetheless if you can find one. ^

Go to most any Mom & Pop deli/cafe/sandwich shop on a Monday and you can get a heaping plate of red beans & rice for under $5. RBR became a Monday tradtion when the maid came on Monday and part of the house staff pay was lunch and since RBR were cheap to make you always made them on Mondays.

Hainan Chicken Rice (also comes with chicken soup and free tea) at the Curry King, Crystal Mall, Burnaby. B.C. Canada. Cost only $5.75 incl. tax. Same mall, for $2 you get two rolls of California sushi plus $1 for can of pop. Fresh sugar cane juice only $3.25. Everything is dirt cheap at the Crystal Mall - food is very authentic. Prices are low because of competition. Don't take my word for it, go try!! :D

If you're ever in Baltimore, do yourself a favor and go to Pete's Grille at the corner of 32nd Street and Greenmount Ave. Yeah, yeah, not the best neighborhood, but it's close to Johns Hopkins (main campus, not the hospital). It's the best breakfast place you'll ever experience. And you can find plenty of great lunch or breakfast options for less than $5.

Vietnamese sandwiches down on Bellaire Blvd.

That's in Houston, BTW.

Vietnamese sandwiches down on Bellaire Blvd.

That's in Houston, BTW.

I know exactly the place you're talking about ... can't recall the name, though.

You can get a great lunch of Chinese cuisine for under $5 in New York....especially in Chinatown.

Oh, you are not kidding!! Soup, dumplings, fried rice - all extremely fresh and tasty!

What are some specific restaurants in Chinatown (NYC) that offer good quality, cheap food?

I had 2 decent lunches under $5 in Tucson last week. Diegos' on Broadway had a dozen Mexican combo plates under $5. There was a place on Speedway called (Yokohama ?) Rice Bowl. Teryaki chicken, rice and vegies for $4. On tuesday, it's $2!!!

I know exactly the place you're talking about ... can't recall the name, though.

The place on Bellaire I used to go to was Givral's Sandwiches. I have since tried Vi's Sandwiches in the Hong Kong Citymall and they were pretty good.

Has the best Cuban sandwich I've ever tasted for right at $5!

Even though Japan(currently where I live) is an expensive country you can eat lunch for cheap, actually dinner if you do research. Throughout the country there are convenience stores everywhere, you can get box lunches(bento) at each store, chicken, hamburger, fish, or whatever for under $5. And you are full at the end.

@ Island Place mall, North Point, HKG

it's a bit of a misnomer since it's in the basement...but I got a very decent steak with rice and a large glass of coke for HK$25, which, using today's rate, would translate to US$3.21.

north end of river street, kents drive inn.

Hole in the wall, greasy spoon, watch out for the homeless guys...

4.00 Fried Rice and BBQ Chicken Plate.

Grilled chicken thighs...(4) and a full plate of fried rice in a take out container overflowing (container bends when you hold it on one side).

The place on Bellaire I used to go to was Givral's Sandwiches. I have since tried Vi's Sandwiches in the Hong Kong Citymall and they were pretty good.

Same with Les Givral's Vietnamese sandwiches in downtown Houston.

The sandwiches are around $2.25 or something like that.

Try the #2 Vietnamese grilled sliced pork sandwich. (Some call this the Vietnamese po-boy.) There are also places that serve this in the midtown area where there are lots of Vietnamese eateries.

Really yummy and the French bread they use is really fresh and good.

Locos Deli and Pub in the Atlanta/Athens area has a good 4.99 lunch
1/2 dozen wings, a nice sized side salad and a drink.
Tax included
I am not sure if all of the stores have this or just the one near work

One of my favorite lunches at any price is Turbo Thai (aka Mae Phim) in SEA. Everything five bucks, and ready in about 90 seconds. Man I miss that place.

http://seattle.citysearch.com/profile/10776791/seattle_wa/mae_phim_thai_restaurant.html

Richmond, Virginia: Ukrop's supermarket, chicken quesadilla combo, $4.66. Ukrop's, a locally-owned upscale supermarket chain in Richmond and Fredericksburg, has an excellent café at many of its locations.

Charlottesville, Virginia: Asian Express, lunch special, $4.65.

I think Wahoo and I live down the (64) road from each other...

Ukrops is nice to have in Richmond but its no whole foods or wild oates. However, I eat there often so I can't complain.
In richmond I like Copola's deli in Carry town (on Carry St).

But I felt compelled to write about the Bel Air market in c-ville. I have been known to drive them from Richmond or Lynchburg just for lunch. Its part of the local Exxon chain but its got some of the most amazing sandwitches around! The farmington is a local fave but I prefer to design my own... never bad!

Rest of my list:

Palasades Market in Calastogia CA (Napa Valley)

An Aussie mentioned Harry's and having been there last year on my
honemoon I'd have to agree!

Morettie's in North Beach San Francisco CA - local italian deli with mind blowing sandwitches. I had something like prosciutto, fresh motz, sundried tomatoes all on a panini drenched in olive oil... why it was so amazing, I dont know, but it was perfect.

oh, and basically all street food in Paris. I'm kind of a sandwitch freak and love them simple... little motz, basil, oilive oil and salt....

I feel like I am missing about 100 favorite places! I've really enjoied reading this thread, thanks Wahoo for starting it!

Potbelly's in Chicago. Any sandwich (toasted subs) for $3.79.