On more than one occasion I’ve stopped by NYPD Pizza for dinner, only to be faced with a wait — a very, very long wait.

Thus, it was more than a little refreshing when — at lunchtime on a recent Wednesday — I just waltzed up to the counter at this Big Apple-themed pizzeria, placed my order and took a seat at my choice of tables. Diners might encounter a 40-minute wait on a Saturday night, but during the week, they can get in and out of this Valley- based chain in half that time.

And even better than the fact that NYPD is a fast lunch is the fact that it’s a cheap lunch. The plethora of specials — which are available from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday — feature everything from pizza and salad to wings and garlic knots, NYPD’s signature buttery balls of bread served with warm marinara. Best of all, because diners order at the counter (NYPD is otherwise a sit-down eatery), they don’t have to bring tip money — making this the perfect penny-pinching-until-payday lunch.

On this afternoon I opted for the slice ’n’ house salad deal, priced at a cool $4.50. There were at least six different gourmet pies to choose from; I went with the Pizza Blanca — olive oil, crushed garlic, ricotta, mozzarella and spinach — as I knew from past experience that it was a sure bet.

After I selected my slice, the chef slid it into the oven in order to get the cheese nice and bubbly. (This is how they do it in the Big Apple, which means that NYPD is definitely legit, as far as I’m concerned.) By the time I got my iced tea and accessorized it with a few lemons, my slice was ready.

And yet again, the Blanca didn’t disappoint. Flavorful, relatively grease- free and just plain enormous, the spinach pie — which featured generous lumps of creamy ricotta — was deliciously filling. The accompanying house salad — featuring black olives, tomatoes and cucumbers — was just your run-of-the- mill leafy offering, though it was so large, it could’ve gone for $4.50 alone.

The verdict: I dare you to find a better pizza lunch for less dough. As they say in New York: “Fuhggedaboutit.

Value meal deal

Where: NYPD Pizza, 9845 S. Priest Drive, Tempe,
What: Slice and a salad ($4.50)