There was a time when many of your favorite fast food joints offered many beloved menu items at really good prices. Today, fast food menu prices are on the rise across the board, and many of the deals that were offered in the past have dropped significantly. Many of the once-popular fast food deals are now significantly more expensive, while others are simply being removed.
Here’s a look at some fast food deals that were once popular but are in the shadow of their former selves. Sure, but the real winners are still businesses, not customers. All seven fast food deals have gone up in price.
When first launched in 2002, McDonald’s dollar menus were a real bargain for diners. You can order a hamburger, chicken sandwich, fries, or a few other items for $1 and put together a large meal for $4 or $5. The dollar menu went through several changes before finally settling on the current $1, $2, $3 menu.
Nearly 20 years ago, Domino’s Pizza rolled out a deal to feed millions of hungry college students across the country. Currently, Domino’s Pizza is offering only a $6.99 “Mix & Match Deal” where you can pick up a specific salad, pizza, pasta or sandwich, and takeaway online orders for $7.99 per pizza with one topping. It offers. They’re not bad, but they’re not $5.
To be clear, Popeye’s Big Box deal is a pretty good deal. You can get 2 fried chicken, 2 sides and biscuits all for $6. The problem is that you have to pre-order through the app to get that price. When Popeye’s revived the Big Bix Deal a few months ago, it cunningly increased the price for in-store purchases to $7.
For years, decades in fact, I’ve been able to walk into Little Caesar’s, pay $5, and walk out with a fresh cheese and pepperoni pizza mere seconds later. The takeaway pizza is still piping hot and ready to eat, but the price of that pizza will cost him $6.
A quick look at Burger King’s value menu now might make you think prices haven’t really gone up this year. But according to CNBC, it’s Whopper who won’t be there anymore. Also, the size of the nuggets served has been reduced from 10 pieces to 8 pieces, effectively devaluing the value of his menu.
For a while in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Subway sold a one-foot sandwich for just $5. It was a big deal for customers and initially profitable for Subway, but it was bigger for the company than for franchisees. This deal has been quietly phased out and the best deal you can get today is pay full price for the first Footlong and get 50% off his second sandwich.
Launched in 2015, KFC’s $5 fill-up was a bargain. It consisted of 2 pieces of chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, cookies and a drink. Not bad at all, right? That’s because the chain has phased out the $5 fill-up and today offers the “famous bowl” for $5 instead. Instead of all the previously listed meals, the bowl consists of layered chunks of mashed potatoes, corn and crispy fried chicken, drizzled with gravy and topped with shredded cheese.