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What can I get ya?

You've finally scored a seat at the counter of an unfamiliar coffee shop. You have maybe 20 minutes to grab lunch. The joint is jumping, and the frazzled server has neither the time nor the inclination to chat. What do you order?

13 Comments:

Grilled cheese. Hard to screw up, and tasty even when burned, even when filled with pseudocheese. Extra-good if it picks up flavors from the grill.

Soup and sandwich --- no burger business, just a tuna sandwich or, as BaHa suggested, the ubiquitous grilled cheese.

BLT and an egg cream. But it is risky because getting first-rate versions of these isn't easy.

Crispy bacon and eggs sunnyside up—fast to make, hard to screw up!

BLT or turkey club. Agreed that first-rate BLT (or turkey club) is an art, but even a bad BLT ain't that bad. (It's still bacon, right?) If they make an exceptional example of either, then you can venture further into the menu on a less frenzied visit.

I just can't go with the BLT, even though I love them. Most places of this sort will insert a flabby, pale orange, travesty of a tomato slice to spread its acrid mushiness all over the bacon and lettuce. Bleah.

Yes, BaHa, a parade of those limp, mealy tomato slices have befouled what may have otherwise been at least passable sandwich ingredients, rendering many a BLT, turkey club, or tuna salad on rye nearly unfit for me to eat. The wretched things even screw up a grilled cheese--ever notice? They become stringier and mealier on the grill, and the sandwich self-destructs in your fingers. The horror, the horror...after so much trauma, you'd think I'd remember to leave off the T.

The special, as they typically whip those suckers out faster than a regular menu item. Unless they only have one daily special and it happens to be liver and onions. Or goulash. Then I'd totally go with the grilled cheese, or maybe a chef salad? And iced tea, most definitely.

Yeah, I usually order either a chef's or cobb salad, dressing on the side, in an unfamiliar place. It's hard to screw up and easy to pick off any objectionable ingredients.

Chicken Salad on white bread and a coke

I see that most of these comments are putting down the reliable old "greesy spoon". I personally love em. When I first started my present job, and I needed some lunch. My co-worker suggested I try "The Oylmpia" - the farthest thing from greek cuisine, and the decor wasn't inviting either. "Just trust me" they said. So I went and had the best grilled chicken sandwhich I have ever had. Next day I had a omlette. In my town, these types of restaurants are the most reliable ones, with the freshed ingredients. No limp tomatoes there...

I don't think they are putting down the greasy spoon places...if you are in an unfamiliar restaurant...both diner type or upscale....you are in an unknown territory. I've been to some upscale places that are supposed to be out of this world, and have left me knowing that I will never go there again because they didn't impress me & the food was substandard. I've also been in some greasy spoon places that blew me away they were so good.
Personally I'd go for the BLT myself.
As for the tomato issue...winter tomatoes are just winter tomatoes...they aren't very good anywhere right now! :-(

I would be going for the grilled cheese (and well-done fries)

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