Column: Rebecca LaClair: Fighting for your money: Where will you spend it? (07/25/24)
Dairy Queen $7 Meal Plan includes a full-size cheeseburger and ice cream sundae.
Submitted by Rebecca LaClair
It seems that we, the almighty consumers, have finally had enough of the constant price increases everywhere. People are spending less money overall, and the places we most often choose to save money are fast food restaurants. In May, Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, said that the price of a medium fries has increased by 44% since 2019, and that of a Big Mac meal by 27%. Averaging all menu items, that’s a 40% increase across the board, and consumers have noticed and responded by spending more money at slower, more customer-friendly restaurants.
In an effort to win back some of its customers, McDonald’s is offering a $5 meal deal for a limited time. I decided to see what I could get for a bargain at a fast food restaurant. I didn’t change any of the items that came with the meals and ordered everything as is. I compared two $5 meal deals and two $7 meals. I ate everything in the restaurant (with help, thanks for the company, guys!) to make sure everything was fresh and as tasty as possible. Here’s what my assistants and I thought of the four locations we visited.

Wendy’s Biggie Bag with a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger. Not pictured, but a small drink is included.
Submitted by Rebecca LaClair
Our first stop was Wendy’s for the $5 Biggie Bag, which debuted in 2019. This is the meal McDonald’s is trying to copy now. At Wendy’s, you can choose from a list of sandwiches, so we ordered the top one, the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger. You also get four chicken nuggets, a small fries, and a small drink. And we didn’t, but if you order in the app, you can also get a free Frosty with your meal for a limited time. The burger was small but flavorful, and it had bacon. I had forgotten how good the fries are at Wendy’s, and the soda machine was a Coke Freestyle kiosk with a ton of choices. We quickly finished that meal and moved on to the next location.
Of course, we had to compare the Wendy’s meal to McDonald’s new $5 meal. We ordered the Double Cheeseburger with four nuggets, a small fries, and a small drink, almost a carbon copy of Wendy’s. The burger here was larger, and the chicken nuggets were larger. However, we looked at the items one by one and compared them. Wendy’s burger was more flavorful. Bacon, lettuce, and a touch of mayo put it above McDonald’s larger double cheeseburger, which was super salty and a bit dry. Wendy’s fries were also more flavorful, crispier, and less salty. We all preferred Wendy’s chicken nuggets to McDonald’s; the breading has a nice spice blend that McDonald’s lacks. McDonald’s may have more calories, but Wendy’s won in flavor.

Taco Bell’s Lux Cravings Box. A huge amount of food and a drink.
Submitted by Rebecca LaClair
Next, we upped our spending spree and headed to Taco Bell, and between the three of us, we still had room in our stomachs. For $7, Taco Bell offers the Luxe Cravings Box. You’ll get a medium drink, a Chalupa Supreme, a Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, a Double Stacked Taco, and chips with nacho cheese sauce. That’s a lot of food. A Taco Bell chalupa is always my favorite as long as the shell is soft and fresh, and on this day, it was wonderful. My helpers loved the Double Stacked Taco with its soft shell wrapped around a hard shell with cheese sealing them together. Without the calories from a drink, the meal clocks in at 1,400 calories, and we agreed that two people could easily split this meal. I was full, and they were almost full, but we still had one more stop to make.
To contrast Taco Bell’s $7 meal, we visited Dairy Queen for the $7 meal. You can choose between a burger and chicken strips, but wanting to compare things, we opted for the burger. We also got fries, a drink, and a small sundae. This was by far the biggest and beefiest burger of the day. Dairy Queen fries are my favorite fast food fries, so this was a win, and the sweet treat at the end (which is the only thing I could choose, at this point in the trip), always hits the mark.
It is always possible to find value in convenience. If you are careful, an occasional visit won’t break the bank.
Rebecca LaClair goes to a new place every week to try food from a trendy restaurant or a restaurant she hasn’t been to yet.

$5 McDonald’s meal, including a double cheeseburger and chicken nuggets.
Submitted by Rebecca LaClair
Related Posts
-
Vegan Chocolate Sauce? Mushroom Appetizer? 12 Finds from New York’s Summer Fancy Food Show
No Comments | Jul 24, 2024 -
I asked the chefs to choose the best pasta sauce and they all chose this brand
No Comments | Jun 22, 2024 -
Mix this cheese into your next pesto for even more flavors
No Comments | Jun 24, 2024 -
Jazz up blue cheese sauce with a boozy ingredient
No Comments | Jul 30, 2024