The fast food value wars are heating up as diners are sick of high prices in the drive-through lane.
Burger King confirms to TODAY.com it will be re-releasing a $5 value meal in the hopes of attracting cash-conscious customers. The fast-food royal is the latest in a long line of national chains to announce a lower-cost meal as they report lower traffic and profit declines.
“Burger King is accelerating its value offers after three quarters of leading the industry in value traffic,” a Burger King spokesperson tells TODAY.com. “We are bringing back our $5 Your Way Meal as agreed upon with our franchisees back in April.”
The move was first reported by Bloomberg, which obtained a Burger King memo discussing the deal. According to the report, the value meal would feature a choice of one of three sandwiches with nuggets, fries and a drink.
Additionally, Burger King plans to relaunch the meal before McDonald’s drops its own similar deal in June. CNBC reported in May that McDonald’s USA would be introducing a $5 value meal for one month on June 25. Customers will be able to pick between a McChicken and McDouble, which will come with a four-piece McNuggets, fries and a drink.
Unlike the Golden Arches, Burger King plans to offer its meal “for several months,” per the memo signed by Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. and Canada.
Burger King previously offered $5 Duo deals which came with a choice of any two items from a selection of BK Royal Crispy Wrap flavors and/or a Whopper Jr.
The chain’s latest announcement comes as drive-through fans voice their displeasure with expensive fast food, and chains like KFC and Starbucks report sales declines.
Folks have been posting about eye-popping fast food prices on TikTok, X and beyond. Viral complaints about the cost of $17 for two Filet O’ Fish sandwiches and $3 for a single hash brown shows prices have been driving these customers away. Now, from Buffalo Wild Wings to Wendy’s, Pizza Hut and more, restaurants are finally listening.
Quick-serve sit-down restaurants are also joining in on the value wars. In April, Denny’s announced the return of its low-priced All-Day Diner Deals starting at $5.99 while Applebee’s and Chili’s have their own low-cost offerings, too.
John Peyton, CEO of Dine Brands (the Applebee’s and IHOP parent company), also told TODAY.com his company has been looking at consumer spending patterns and is prepared for a shift towards more value-focused purchases.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
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