These 7 Fast-Food Restaurants Actually Have the Best Deals

Inflation has hit Americans hard at the grocery store and in restaurants. Even grabbing dinner from your favorite fast-food restaurant can get expensive pretty quickly. Fortunately, some chains have a value menu or offer regular deals to budget-conscious customers.

Here are fast food restaurants that give you the most bang for your buck.

Little Caesar’s raised the price of its famous Hot-N-Ready pizza for the first time ever in 2022. According to CNN, the chain’s “new and improved” version – which has 33% more pepperoni – has a new price of $5.55, up from $5, which is still quite a deal!

Despite the price increase, Little Caesar’s sells pizza at a fraction of the price compared to its competitors. For example, a large Pepperoni Lover’s pan pizza at Pizza Hut will set you back around $15.

Taco Bell has one of the best value menus around, offering items for as low as $1.

According to Cheapism, the most popular menu item among Redditors on r/TacoBell is the Build Your Own Cravings Box. For only $6, you get a Crunchwrap Supreme or Cheesy Gordita Crunch, a soft taco or Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes or cinnamon twists and a drink. Other popular menu items are only $1 or $2, including the Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito and the Beefy Melt Burrito.

Although McDonald’s meals can be pricey, you can still get a good deal if you use the chain’s app.

You’ll need to become a MyMcDonald’s Rewards member to take advantage of the app, but you can find deals every day, including $1 menu items, half-price deals and BOGOs. You also earn points on every order for free food. If you’re a first-time app user, you can get a free Big Mac after downloading the app, joining MyMcDonald’s Rewards and making a $1 minimum purchase. McDonald’s also brought back Free Fries Friday for 2024. You can get a free medium fries with a $1 minimum purchase through the chain’s app.

Wendy’s has a ton of value meals to check out. For $5, you can get a Bacon Double Stack Biggie Bag, which includes a Bacon Double Stack burger, chicken nuggets, fries and a drink. There’s also the 4 for $4 meal deals. For only $4, you can order chicken nuggets, fries, a drink and either a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, Crispy Chicken Sandwich or a Jr. Cheeseburger.

Del Taco isn’t available nationwide, but it’s popular everywhere it’s located. The restaurant has a 20 under $2 menu, with tacos, burritos, nachos, drinks, donut bites and mini cinnamon churros. Del Taco also has regular specials and deals through the Del Yeah! Rewards app. Several deals the chain is currently offering include 20% off everything in its rewards app, three tacos for $1.99 on Tuesday and three grilled chicken tacos for $3.19 on Thursday.

Arby’s offers a variety of items on its menu at an affordable price. Snag a 2/$6 Mix’ N Match deal, which includes a choice of two sandwiches: a Classic Roast Beef, a Fish n’ Cheddar Sandwich or a Crispy Fish Sandwich. Arby’s also sells sliders for $1.99, and you can find more deals through the Arby’s Rewards app.

You can’t get a $5 footlong anymore, but you can still save at Subway. Subway offers BOGO deals. For instance, if you buy a footlong, you can get another 50% off if you order through the app or online. Keep an eye on the restaurant’s website for deals and BOGO codes.