Fast Food Value Meals: A Comprehensive Review Of $5 And $7 Options

When is the last time you spent $5 on a meal? A full meal, not just a foot-long sandwich or a cheeseburger. Dining out is increasingly perceived as a luxury, especially as credit card bills reveal how much we spend on food away from home. With notoriously low profit margins, the cost of everything from ingredients to labor continues to rise, making restaurant meals far from cheap. Fast food, once celebrated as the quintessential American experience of a neighborhood burger joint, is also feeling the pressure of inflation. For instance, in an open letter from May, McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger noted that the average cost of a Big Mac in the U.S. has risen by 21% since 2019.

In response to widespread criticism regarding rising prices, McDonald's introduced a $5 value meal in late June, igniting a value-meal war among competing chains. Many fast-food restaurants quickly followed suit, launching their own value meals priced around $5. Burger King reintroduced its $5 Your Way meal, while Taco Bell launched the $7 Luxe Cravings Box, and Wendy’s celebrated the fifth anniversary of its $5 Biggie Bag. Even Jack in the Box and Carl’s Jr. have joined the trend with their own $5 offerings.

The McDonald's deal was initially set to last for just a month, but 93% of participating franchisees are planning to continue the promotion through August. With this competitive landscape, I decided to explore these value meals myself, evaluating each for value, food quality, taste, and how closely they resembled their advertised images. Below, you will find my rankings based on these criteria, and I invite you to share your thoughts or critiques in the comments or through email!