No such thing as a free lunch.

OK, NJ and I don't go out for lunch very often due to a combination of drive time to anyplace that routinely passes the health department inspections, not many viable non fast-food options, and that history has proven lunch tends to pack on the pounds to my already ample frame. That said, we hitched up the wagon earlier today and headed down to the County Seat. Ate at a pub-like place which was clean, but far from fancy. We each had a fish sandwich which was good but far from outstanding. The platter included a portion of "homemade" chips and a tiny, tiny side of slaw. NJ had water and I splurged for a lemonade. The tab after a 20% tip was just shy of $35.
Now, I'm old and somewhat out of touch, but this seemed like a lot of $$ for a simple lunch in a small town with some of the highest poverty rates in the State. Little wonder the fast food joints are always jammed around here.

That is crazy...I don't think we have ever spent that much on lunch. Usually we go for a light lunch, salads, half sandwich and soup, or a burger in a local restaurant. We don't visit fast food places, but one time we were very hungry after a long RV trip over mountains. A small mountain town had a fast food place in the parking lot of a big shopping center. We got burgers and fries and it was $13. Horrible lunch for that much money. We should have gone into the local market and ordered from the deli. We do learn, eventually!

My sister and I took my mother and her friend out for lunch Monday for mom's birthday. She had half shrimp salad and soup, I had a tuna wrap, sis and friend had an asian inspired noodle and crispy beef offering, all of us had iced tea. The bill, with tip, was $80 from a nice, casual restaurant north of Baltimore...don't know how they stay in business.

Not everyone has the option -- but when I go out for lunch, it's going to be Asian. Used to occasionally go to upscale Italian places. Not hard to go over $50 for two people.

If you eat where the Chinese people go, you are going to get exquisite food for about $10 per person.

My regular go to places are Thai, Malaysian, and Sichuan.

I virtually never go out to a restaurant for lunch. Partly, this is due to the cost. It's also because by the time lunch rolls around, I've usually had a very busy morning. I just want to get away by myself for a half hour or so, read the paper, and eat my lunch. There's a little cafe kind of place on campus a short walk from our lab. If I bring a sandwich, I can get some good kettle chips, a drink, and a little salad or maybe a cookie for about $5. Then I can find a quiet table and catch up on the sports section and the comics. I find this much more rejuvenating than going out to a restaurant with co-workers. It also keeps me from eating too much.

Wow, and I look at it just the other way round: After the morning mayhem, I want to get AWAY from my desk and OUT of the building!

Me, too - I get out of the building, but not terribly far from it.

I agree with Frank. For places near my work, bahn mi for under $4 or a bowl of noodles for $5-6 is the way to go.