Wages have stayed relatively the same while fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s raise their prices. This price increase, including the relatively high cost of living, has encouraged many people to opt out of eating out.
This has been a huge problem for these fast-food restaurants as they see their sales dip, investors leave, and criticism from consumers.
A New Deal for You
What may have made matters worse is that some fast-food chains, like the Louisiana-style fired chicken restaurant Krispy Krunchy Chicken, are offering a value deal that has encouraged many consumers to spend their hard-earned money there rather than fast food giants.
With more than 2,800 locations across the US, Krispy Krunch Chicken stands out for its Cajun marinade and custom breading, making it one of the top chicken shops with the best deals.
A Bang for Your Buck
For $4, consumers can purchase either two pieces of dark meat bone-in fried chicken or two hand-breaded white meat Cajun Tenders, Verdict Food Service reported. The value meal also comes with potato wedges.
If you choose the bone-in chicken, you can enjoy drumsticks, thighs, or full wings seasoned with a mild Cajun spice.
Value Is More Important Than Ever
“Value is more important than ever in today’s economy, and that’s especially true for our operators’ guests,” Krispy Krunchy CEO Jim Norberg said.
Norberg continues: “So as these guests demand more value, we’re finding a way to make it happen without compromising on quality.”
Bring Customers Back
This value has significantly set Krispy Krunchy apart from giant chains like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King, which have struggled to attract consumers after facing criticism for a $20 meal.
After nearly two years, chains have been suffering from customer loss as Americans turn away from high-priced meals.
Luring Customers Back
In response to customers turning toward value meal options, the fast food giants are making offerings that will hopefully bring back some customers.
McDonald’s rushed out its value deal to create a limited-time offering that revved up sluggish sales and lured back customers who had cut back.
McDonald’s Deals for Americans
In June, McDonald’s US locations started selling a $5 Meal Deal, which includes a McDouble cheeseburger or a McChicken sandwich, small french fries, 4-piece chicken nuggets, and a small soft drink.
“We heard our fans loud and clear—they’re looking for even more great value from us, and this summer that’s exactly what they’ll get,” said Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, in a press release (via CNN).
Extending the Deal
The meal’s popularity since its release has encouraged the company to encourage the company to continue the deal until August in 93% of their US locations.
The $5 deal is “meeting the objective of driving guests back to our restaurants” and is promoting some people to buy full-priced items to lift sales, according to the memo.
Burger King’s Value Meal
But McDonald’s isn’t the only fast food giant to introduce a meal deal. Burger King recently introduced the $5 You Way Meal. Initially sold for a limited time in the US during 2023, the deal became available at all US locations for the summer.
The deal offers a choice of one of three sandwiches (a Whopper Jr., a Bacon Cheeseburger, or Chicken Jr.), plus four chicken nuggets, fries, and a soft drink.
Wendy’s Offers a Value Meal
Wendy’s also offers its own meal deal, celebrating five years of its Biggie Bad deal by adding a Frosty freebie to it. This limited-time deal, which is available nationwide at participating restaurants, gives Wendy’s app users a free small Frosty.
The $5 Biggie Bag has been around since 2019 and features the choice of a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger or Crispy Chicken Sandwich paired with a 4-piece nugget, one Jr. fries, and a small soft drink.
Going Bigger
“Celebrate the start of summer and Biggie’s five-year birthday — go BIGGIE-ER with an unbeatable deal!” Wendy’s wrote in a press release.
Wendy’s has dropped its new, limited edition Triple Berry Frosty flavor as part of this limited-time deal. Described as a berry-inspired treat, it combines strawberry, blackberry, and raspberry flavors.
The On-going Fast-Food Value Wars
These combating deals might highlight the peak of the fast-food value wars, but how long can these deals last before the high fast-food prices come back with a vengeance?
While several chains offer lower-cost options, many wonder if the raising of the minimum wage and delivery costs has caused the inflation of menu items or if it is just corporate greed attempting to convince consumers that these prices are justified.
