Lunch for many is the highlight of a dull day, unfortunately it's often spent chomping on a sandwich while glued to a computer screen. It should be a chance to get out of the office, get some fresh air and feel, well, human again.

In recent years, the mid-day snack has been elevated from the ham and cheese roll and a packet of Tayto to endless permutations of exotic treats. Deep-fried kohlrabi on spelt ciabatta anyone?

The exoticism of the bagel in the early 1990s kick-started the lunch revolution. It was a time when you were nobody unless your lunch consisted of some class of bagel and cappucino combo . . . lunch was all about combos in the 1990s. The next pretender to the lunch throne was the panini, which is simply a jumped-up cheese toastie.

Today it seems there are any number of lunches to be seen with, from rustic focaccias smeared with violet mustard to brain-fuelling sushi boxes and everything in between. Even the humble pie seems to be making a comeback. Gourmet pie shops are sprouting up hither and tither to fill the pie holes of a hungry nation. An entire industry has grown up around our insatiable appetite for more choice in the lunch market. What to have for lunch is now considered by many to be the single most important decision of the day and many people's afternoon mood or productivity depends on how happy they were with their mid-day meal.

But what exactly makes a good lunch? I think the important factors to consider when doing lunch are:

1. Health benefits/composition. Am I going to feel full of energy after eating this? Or, is it so heavy that I might fall asleep at my desk?

2. Value for money. Can I get it cheaper anywhere else? Is it worth the asking price? Prices fluctuate wildly throughout the country. A cream cheese bagel might cost you 5 in Dublin, whereas in Leitrim you could get it for 3. Worse still, even on the same street, prices can be miles apart.

My personal lunch haven in Dublin is Fallon & Byrne on Exchequer Street. The simple value-for-money approach is refreshing and the choice is spectacular.

I usually go for the potato gratin; French beans, pine nuts and mushrooms, all heated in a handy take-away container. It usually comes in at around 4 and is a great lunch. But we all know that one man's feast is another man's easi-singles on sliced pan. So this week, instead of my usual review, I went out onto the streets to find out makes your lunch tick.

THE LUNCH CLUB

Name: Yvonne Moore

Occupation: TV researcher

Lunch: Tuna melt paninni

What do you think?

"It's okay, good value I suppose. I got a free juice on the street too and I'm happy with that!"

Cost: 4

What is your ultimate lunch? "I really like vegetarian bagels or pizza. I like the Burger King veggie burger too, that's really good."

Name: Colin O'Reilly

Occupation: Bike courier

Lunch: Pasta, bacon and parmesan in a ragu sauce from the Unicorn round the corner.

What do you think? "It tastes like real food! I usually bring a pack lunch with me but I got paid today, so I got this. I really like it."

Cost: 4.95

What is your ultimate lunch? "Probably this."

Name: Marius Howe (Ringo)

Occupation: Carriage driver

Lunch: Sushi and orange juice

What do you think?

"Beautiful, nice. I love sushi, the first time I ever had it was when I was stuck in an airport and it was the only food available."

Cost: 5.95

What is your ultimate lunch? "I love fish; sea bass, ray and monkfish. Any of those and I'm happy."

Name: Fatema Bushager

Occupation: Medicine Student, Royal College of Surgeons

Lunch: Dunnes Stores mixed salad from the deli counter

What do you think? "It's not very good, there's too much mayo. It's disappointing. Lunch options in Dublin are okay, it's kind of expensive though."

Cost: 3.32

What is your ultimate lunch? "My favourite sandwich is salami, lettuce and tomato."