Meal deal
What it really means
A supermarket lunch offer: a sandwich, a snack and a drink together for one low price (around £3.50–£5). The Tesco meal deal is a British institution — office workers and students live on them.
Context, tips & common mistakes
The supermarket meal deal — a main (sandwich, wrap, salad), a snack and a drink for one flat price — is Britain's default workday lunch, and the flat price is the game: since the bundle costs the same regardless of components, choosing the pricier smoothie, posh sandwich and protein pot 'maximises' the deal, a national optimisation sport discussed with complete sincerity in offices everywhere.
Mechanics: only items with the meal-deal tag on the shelf count — check the label, because the premium sandwiches just outside the deal are the classic till surprise; some chains require their loyalty card for the advertised price; and the deal is usually cheaper than buying any two of the three items separately, so taking the third is rational even if you save it for later.