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Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top 5 Fast-Food Meals Cheaper Than ‘We Have Food at Home'
Do you remember when getting fast food used to be an affordable treat and not a physically and financially shame-inducing spiral from which you'll never recover? No? After you come home from an exhausting day at work, the house is all out of order, your kids are clamoring to eat and you do not feel like cooking, the last thing you want to hear is, 'We have food at home.' Up Next: For You: Technically, what you have at home are probably ingredients, so it's best not to split hairs and save yourself a potential argument by suggesting to your tired spouse that they whip up a meal. Though not always the case, it still can be cheaper to eat out rather than going to the grocery store and playing tariff roulette with your produce. With that in mind, GOBankingRates put together a list of the top five fast-food meals that are cheaper than grocery shopping. Order up! McDonald's McChicken Value Meal Price: $5 You shouldn't play chicken with your monthly expenses, and with the McDonald's McChicken value meal, you get a McChicken, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, a small French fry and a small soft drink. When you factor in what you would spend on a chicken breast (plus more for nuggets), a head of lettuce, burger buns, mayonnaise, potatoes and soda at the grocery store, you probably started pulling into the drive-thru marked with Golden Arches before you finished reading this sentence. Explore More: Taco Bell's Classic Luxe Box Price: $5 If every time you go to the grocery store, you have to dip into your children's college fund, then maybe you should subsidize with the occasional Taco Tuesday for family night. For $20, you can feed your family of four with this Taco Bell combo meal, which includes a Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, crunchy taco, cinnamon twists and a medium fountain drink. Antacid is sold separately, but you may not need it to settle your system when you see how much money you saved. Wendy's Biggie Bag Price: $5 Gone may be the days of Wendy's locations having a sun room you could smoke in while you appreciated nature, but that doesn't mean they still don't offer some nostalgic pricing for some items on their menu. For just $5 a pop, you can get the Biggie Bag at Wendy's, which includes a choice of sandwich (Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, Double Stack or Crispy Chicken), 4-piece chicken nuggets, fries and a drink. Chipotle Burrito Price: $11.65 to $12.45 Chipotle may not be the first fast-food option you think of when it comes to savings, but when you factor in its portion sizes for baby-sized burritos or the many influencer cheat codes to multiply how many meals you can get out of your order, the savings do start to add up more than the additional cost of guacamole. You could even buy a burrito for dinner, eat half, and have the second half as a lunch leftover the next day. Of course, this would require more self-control than most people have when delicious food is in front of them. Subway's Meal of the Day Price: $9.99 And the number one fast-food meal that is cheaper than 'we have food at home' is … the Subway Meal of the Day! Why doesn't everyone just relax and enjoy a delicious Subway sandwich until the stock market figures itself out? You can set your calendar to Subway's Meal of the Day, which includes a daily rotating footlong sub option, a choice of a bag of chips or two cookies and a drink. This is an easily shareable meal too, as even Subway is shocked more people aren't splitting in this economy. More From GOBankingRates 6 Popular SUVs That Aren't Worth the Cost -- and 6 Affordable Alternatives This article originally appeared on Top 5 Fast-Food Meals Cheaper Than 'We Have Food at Home'
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Fast-food isn't so affordable anymore. Here are the U.S. cities where prices are the highest.
Food industry analyst says food prices will rise due to tariffs, "no question about it" Like Subway's $5 footlong, affordable fast-food may soon be a thing of the past. The average price of fast-food in larger U.S. cities is now in the double digits, with the typical meal costing $11.56, according to a new report from LendingTree. Prices are highest in San Francisco, where the average fast-food meal costs $13.88, followed by Seattle at $13.48. Columbus, Ohio, has the most affordable fast-food, but meals still came to $10.01 on average. Fast-food has long been considered a more economical, if not more healthful, way to eat. Whether it's Wendy's "Biggie Bag" or McDonald's "McValue" menu, most major fast-food chains offer some sort of meal deal for under $10. But as costs rise and inflation pinches Americans' wallets, the cost of burgers, fries and chicken nuggets may be slipping out of reach for many consumers. A FinanceBuzz analysis found last year that average fast food prices have risen between 39% and 100% over the last decade. For example, a McDouble sandwich that cost $1.19 in 2014 would easily cost more than $3 in 2024, the personal finance site found. Thirty-nine percent of Americans expect to spend less on dining given heightened uncertainty about the economy, according to a recent Bankrate survey. According to McDonald's most recent earnings report, the company experienced a 3.6% drop in sales the first quarter, with executives citing tariffs as the reason behind the slower foot traffic. "Heightened anxiety" about the economy is weighing on lower- and middle-income Americans, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a May 1 earnings call. Among the consumers who may be struggling with the cost of fast-food — the low-income employees who make it. The average hourly wage for fast-food workers is $15.07, according to LendingTree. That means it takes workers more than two times longer than someone on an average wage in the U.S. to earn enough to afford a typical fast food meal, while factoring in the cost of other living expenses. "No one has ever expected to get rich off of fast-food wages, but the fact that these workers can't even expect a livable wage is troubling," LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz said in the report. LendingTree found that a fast-food worker who purchased three meals a day from their employer, seven days a week, would end up spending 40% of their salary on average — leaving them with just 60% of their paycheck to live on.
Miami Herald
29-03-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
McDonald's menu adds new value combo
Value and price are not the same thing. You could, for example, buy five broken-down cars for $1,000 each, and that's not automatically as good a value as one reliable automobile for $5000. In the fast-food world, value becomes even trickier. Subway might sell a foot-long sub for $5, but given the quality of that product you might be much better off buying a $10 sandwich at a local eatery. Related: Chipotle responds to bankruptcy, store closure reports A major part of value is perception. If people feel as if they are getting a good deal, then they are getting a good deal. It's much like how many Americans see inflation. People who are having a hard time generally believe that prices have increased much more than they have. That makes sense because if you are struggling, every small increase hits harder. McDonald's (MCD) has struggled in the value game for many years. The chain's prices are relatively low, but it fell behind rivals like Wendy's, which heavily marketed its Four for $4 and $5 Biggie Bag deals. Perception has been a major issue for the chain, and Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski has pledged to fix it. Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter The CEO has specifically talked about value during the past few earnings calls. "We're encouraged by signs of progress in the third quarter and the more consistent market share traction we are seeing, especially in the U.S., which included strong, compelling value platforms," the executive said. That, he said during the chain's third-quarter earnings call, is "fundamental to the McDonald's brand promise; menu innovation, which excited our customers with great-tasting food; and strong marketing prowess that drove engagement on higher-margin core items." McDonald's has not only talked about value but has taken some steps to deliver it. "We have spoken before about our customers recognizing us as the value leader versus our key competitors, but our value leadership gap has shrunk," he said. "In response, we have moved with urgency in partnership with our franchisees to improve our value offerings in most of our major markets." He cited examples that launched in the quarter: the 4-euro ($4.33) Happy Meals in France, three for 3 UK pounds ($3.88); and in Canada what the CEO called "price-pointed coffee, starting at just $1 (US$0.70)." And Kempsczinski wants to make clear that value is not just something for fringe menu items. "As we have said before, we view good value as including both entry-level items and meal bundles at affordable price points," he said. "This means offering Every Day Affordable Price menus, or EDAP, in our markets. "At McDonald's, we define EDAP as a platform with an assortment of items all priced at compelling entry-level price points, generally including breakfast beef and chicken sandwich options." He continued: "We will pair EDAP platforms with strong meal bundles to provide our customers with entry-level meals at affordable price points. Blending EDAP and meal bundles under a branded value platform allows us to invest in and build recognition and affinity with our customers. "So when they're thinking about an affordable option for food, we're top of mind, which is why we've been able to capitalize on branded equities like Loose Change in Australia and the Saver platform in the U.K. for over 10 years. "McDonald's looks to take a lead in the fast-food value game with the introduction of the new $6 Daily Double Meal deal at select locations," according to a report from Fast Food Post. That's fairly similar to deals offered by Wendy's and Burger King. "As part of the deal, you can get a Daily Double burger along with an order of small World Famous Fries, a 6-piece Chicken McNuggets, and a choice of drink, all for a suggested price of $6 (may vary)," the site reported. Related: Popular delivery app wants you to finance lunch While not one of the chain's better-known sandwiches, the Daily Double is a hearty offering. "With 490 calories per serving, the Daily Double features two seasoned, 100% beef patties and melty American cheese topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, slivered onions, and mayo on a perfectly toasted bun," according to the site. You can find the $6 Daily Double Meal deal at select participating McDonald's locations across the country for a limited time. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wendy's CEO dishes on thick-cut bacon, egg prices, and AI-powered drive-throughs for 2025
Listen and subscribe to Opening Bid on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. Just past his one-year mark as Wendy's (WEN) CEO, Kirk Tanner is leaning on more than square burgers to add some sizzle to the 55-year-old restaurant chain's stock price. Think a new burger that promises "thick-cut" bacon, drive-thrus powered by Wendy the robot, Frosty drinks with chocolate and vanilla swirls, and not-yet-announced breakfast and chicken sandwich innovations. "It's huge," Tanner told me on Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid podcast (video above; listen in below) when I pressed on whether the thick-cut bacon was just a marketing gimmick. "I've eaten like six of these. I mean, it is substantial." When asked if the industry has reached peak chicken sandwich, Tanner is quick to push back. "No. I think you can always innovate and always move the bar higher," said the former North America beverages CEO for PepsiCo (PEP). This embedded content is not available in your region. What's new on the menu for Wendy's: New chicken sandwiches (middle of this year) New thick-cut bacon burger (later in 2025) New breakfast beverages (later in 2025) Ending 2025 with 500 AI-powered drive-throughs, versus 100 currently Increasing total restaurants from 7,200 currently to up to 8,300 (end of 2028) The iconic fast food chain could use a shot in the arm. Wendy's shares have dropped 17% in the past year, underperforming rival McDonald's (MCD) 15% gain. KFC and Pizza Hut owner Yum! Brands (YUM) is up 15%, while Burger King parent Restaurant Brands (QSR) is down 9%. Chipotle (CMG) is off by 16%. Wendy's market cap stands at a mere $3 billion, compared to McDonald's at $219 billion, Yum! Brands at $44 billion, Restaurant Brands at $30.8 billion, and Chipotle's $66 billion. But Wendy's has done its part to tempt investors to take a nibble of the stock. Its US same-store sales last year rose a decent 1.4%, powered by its breakfast menu and value offering known as the Biggie Bag. Wendy's same-store sales internationally rose 2.8%. The problem is that industry heavyweight McDonald's has gotten its groove back and is seen as an outperformer relative to Wendy's. Chipotle continues to be on fire with consumers for its huge portion sizes. Pizza joints such as Domino's Pizza (DPZ) and Papa John's (PZZA) have been attracting diners with discounted prices on pies. Taco Bell has undergone a resurgence for Yum. "While we view the company's menu innovation efforts constructively, the categories of focus (chicken, frozen desserts, and beverages) will be fiercely contested grounds in the quick-service restaurant category with multiple brands expanding offerings, so the pace of innovation may prove to be table stakes for defending, rather than meaningfully growing, share in fiscal year 2025," Stifel analyst Chris O'Cull said. O'Cull rates Wendy's stock at a Hold with a $16 price target. The need to pick up the pace on new restaurant openings isn't lost on Tanner. It's a key reason he took the job. "This is why I joined Wendy's, for the potential for unit growth. That is the biggest unlock for the value. It's directly correlated to the value of our stock. And the potential for us to build restaurants is tremendous," Tanner said, acknowledging opening up new locations is mission-critical to him and his team. When not testing out burgers, Tanner is enjoying Wendy's breakfast menu. Despite lingering concerns on the Street if Wendy's should still be in the competitive breakfast business, Tanner is fully committed to growing it from here. And yes, he says, Wendy's can make a profitable egg sandwich in the present backdrop of insanely overpriced eggs. "[Breakfast is] still a profitable business," added Tanner. Three times each week, I field insight-filled conversations and chats with the biggest names in business and markets on Opening Bid. You can find more episodes on our video hub or watch on your preferred streaming service. Brian Sozzi is Yahoo Finance's Executive Editor. Follow Sozzi on X @BrianSozzi, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Tips on stories? Email Click here for all of the latest retail stock news and events to better inform your investing strategy Sign in to access your portfolio
