November 11, 2011
We're looking this week at the seemingly opposite aims of the fast food industry: get you in the door with affordable value options, then sell you premium items for as much as possible.
The McDonald's value meal was the first step, and now all the fast food chains assume you're buying a "meal" or a "combo" -- not just a sandwich and a soda, but the fries, too. If you were going to buy all three anyway, you're now saving a little money, but if you weren't, you've now spent a little more for extras that cost the restaurant pennies. If you can swap out the fries for a salad or baked potato or apple slices, that's a better value for you, not to mention better for you.
A McDonalds side salad.Wendy's started the value-priced individualist trend, with a 99-cent value menu offering single items instead of a bundle, and keeping them cheap. The best bang for your buck was the sometimes-available deluxe double stack, a double cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato for 99 cents. Between that, a side salad or baked potato, and a small soda, you could keep your meal around three or four bucks if you didn't need something huge.
McDonald's and Burger King followed suit, and sometimes there are great deals on that low-cost menu board, like a pair of apple pies or an iced tea for a buck. Don't be surprised, though, if the Whopper Junior has suddenly gotten smaller.
Wendy's new and improved Hot 'n Juicy cheeseburger.The trend now, though, is to sell you something more expensive, rather than less. Not only does Wendy's offer premium sandwiches like the Asiago Ranch Chicken Club, they've also taken their original burger upscale. The Hot 'n Juicy cheeseburger has thicker burgers, toasted buns, and better toppings, and they've quietly raised the price.
Over at Burger King, they have a new premium sandwich every few weeks, like the California Whopper, topped with bacon and avocado, or the new Chef's Choice burger, which starts at $5 all by itself, without fries or a drink, and isn't worth it. It looks good on paper, but with a dry, chewy patty and a dry, chewy bun, it falls flat.
McDonald's has another plan. Along with your Big Mac, or the premium salad you say you're going for, you might just get a $3 latte or a fruit smoothie, skipping the stop at Starbucks or Jamba Juice on the way back.
Subway's premium (and pricey) smoked brisket sub.Subway gets crowds in the door with their enormously popular "$5 footlong" promotion, but the sandwich you want may not be included, or the way you want it may require an extra charge. Many of their featured sandwiches, like this month's "Big Philly Cheesesteak," are premium-priced or double-meat subs to begin with, and cost $7 or $8 before you even think about chips and a drink, Meantime, they've all but stopped offering deals on their six-inch subs, which, if you're a light eater, may be all you wanted.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries doesn't seem to need special deals or value menus to get customers in the door. Their legendary burgers and generous servings of fries do that for them. Their simplest burger, the one-patty "little hamburger," is $3.75, though that includes all the toppings you might want. At the top of the scale is the "bacon cheeseburger," up to $6.49 but featuring two patties, and again, unlimited toppings. A regular fries is enough for all but a glutton, and probably enough to share, and it's $3. Add a regular drink for another $2.15. They offer free refills, but climbing north of $2 for a fountain drink drives home the reality that Five Guys is not trying to save you money.
You can still find a good value at the fast food joint, and once in a while, maybe even some tasty food. Just keep in mind they're trying to get more than three or four bucks out of your pockets, and if you give in, you won't have found the bargain you were looking for.
