Cheap chains for lunch
Al's Beef and Catering on Adams is one of Cheap chains for lunch.

1. Al's Beef and Catering on Adams

601 W Adams St (Jefferson and Adams), Chicago, IL
Fast Food Restaurant · West Loop · 26 tips and reviews

Time Out ChicagoTime Out Chicago: It doesn't get messier, meatier or cheaper than a four-inch Little Al Italian Beef. $4.50, plus 50 cents for giardiniera. Read more.

I Dream of Falafel is one of Cheap chains for lunch.

2. I Dream of Falafel

112 W Monroe St (btwn Clark & LaSalle), Chicago, IL
Falafel Restaurant · The Loop · 23 tips and reviews

Time Out ChicagoTime Out Chicago: Here, the pitalike bread is filled with beef shawarma, kefta kebab or falafel, all packing a peppery punch. Average course: $6. Read more.

M Burger is one of Cheap chains for lunch.

3. M Burger

7.4
5 W Ontario St (btwn N State St & N Dearborn St), Chicago, IL
Burger Joint · Near North Side · 84 tips and reviews

Time Out ChicagoTime Out Chicago: This place is all about the shakes—specifically, the off-menu shake-of-the-month, which rotates among addictive flavors like double espresso and hot fudge (and less exciting ones like caramel-pumpkin) Read more.

Gold Coast Dogs is one of Cheap chains for lunch.

4. Gold Coast Dogs

159 N Wabash Ave (at W Randolph St), Chicago, IL
Hot Dog Joint · The Loop · 30 tips and reviews

Time Out ChicagoTime Out Chicago: GCD dogs are natural-casing Vienna Beef, you can get them char-grilled, and they have the weird splayed-ends thing, setting these Chicago-style dogs apart.