In Mexico, a complete lunch menu. The equivalent of the menu du jour in France, it is usually advertised outside the restaurant.
Comida corrida (that incidentally means something quite similar to fast food) is the province of working class restaurants. Fancier places will either go strictly á la carte or offer a menú executivo that is a comida corrida but more expensive.
Sanborn's has "packet" lunches that approximate comida corrida, but are vastly more expensive. And besides you would have to put up with Sanbornstecos.
In Mexican markets there are usually many places of comida corrida.
Comida corrida is usually priced (at the beginning of the 2001) at between 16 and 28 pesos, that's to say, around a couple of dollars. The menu is almost always like this:
Soup
This can be alphabet soup or vegetable soup or chicken soup.
Rice
Done mexican style, occasionally with peas and bits of carrots. You can have it with a fried egg on top, and it will cost you two pesos extra.
Plato fuerte
Usually you can choose between two or three main courses. There are countless. Some typical ones are enchiladas, entomatatadas, enmoladas, bistek en salsa roja, chicharrón, carne con nopalitos, fish fillet, puerco con verdolagas ... countless, I told you. Usually served with frijoles de la olla or frijoles refritos.
Postre
Depending on how fancy the place is, this can be a lollipop, a flan (like a créme caramel), or Jello. At times Jello made with milk, I kid you not. Or even fried bananas with cream.
At times the comida corrida includes a helping of agua de frutas. Coffee is never included, pop is usually extra. The food is almost invariably served with corn tortilla, and very rarely with bread.