Value menu
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A value menu (not to be confused with a value meal) is a group of menu items at a fast food restaurant that are designed to be the least expensive items available. In the US, the items are usually priced between $0.99 and $2.99. The portion size, and number of items included with the food, are typically related to the price.
Examples
[edit]Arby's
[edit]Arby's announced the launch of their value menu on April 9, 2010.[1] Items on the value menu vary based on location, but typically include small or value size roast beef sandwiches, curly fries, milkshakes, chicken sandwiches, ham and cheddar sandwiches, and turnovers.[2]
Burger King
[edit]Burger King added a value menu in 1998 with items priced at 99¢ (USD),[3] equivalent to $1.85 in 2023. In 2002[4] and 2006, BK revamped its value menu, adding and removing products at 99¢, and later increasing some prices to $1.39.[5] Many of these items have since been discontinued, modified or relegated to a regional menu option.[6] The Burger King Whopper was the very first 99 cent burger and it revolutionized the 99 cent menu in the fast food industry.[7]
McDonald's
[edit]After numerous attempts beginning in 1991,[8] experimenting with a variety of menus and pricing strategies,[9] McDonald's launched its first national value menu, the Dollar Menu, in late 2002 in the United States.[10]
A new value menu was rolled out at McDonald's on January 4, 2018 in the United States. It featured a dozen items at various price points: $1, $2 and $3, with four items per price point.[11] Originally, this menu no longer featured fries, which was criticized by Good Mythical Morning along with only a few items at the $1 price point.[12] In Canada, fries are available for CA$2.49 on the McPicks menu.[13]
On May 13, 2024, news outlets have reported that McDonald's plans to launch a $5 value meal in the United States. The meal will reportedly include a sandwich (McDouble or McChicken), four Chicken McNuggets, a small fries and a small soft drink.[14] In Canada, a similar meal is available for CA$5.79, without the four McNuggets.[13]
McDonald's Dollar Menu (United States) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Price point | Items | |||
$1 | Cheeseburger | McChicken | Sausage Burrito | Soft Drink |
$2 | Bacon McDouble | Buttermilk Crispy Tenders (x2) | Sausage McGriddles | Small McCafé |
$3 | Triple Cheeseburger | Classic Chicken Sandwich | Sausage McMuffin with Egg | Happy Meal |
McDonald's Summer Value Menu 2024 (Canada) [15] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Price point | Items | |||
$1 † | Small Soft Drink | Small Iced Coffee | Vanilla Cone | |
$2 | Small Fruit Splash | Snack Size Milkshake ‡ | Sundae | 2 Apple Pies |
$3 | Small Fruit Smoothie | Small Frappe | Small Cold Brew | Large Fruit Splash |
† The $1 vanilla cone requires the McDonald's Canada app for Android or iOS. Medium and large soft drinks and iced coffee are also available for $1 with the app.
‡ The snack size Grimace Shake is also available for $2.
Subway
[edit]Subway offered a $4.99 footlong menu in the United States. The promotion began in 2004 as a $5 footlong menu (equivalent to $8.07 in 2023).
Taco Bell
[edit]In 1988, Taco Bell lowered the prices of all new items and launched the first three-tiered pricing strategy and free drink refills.[16] In 2010, Taco Bell introduced the $2 Meal Deals menu, featuring a menu item (i.e., a chicken burrito, a beefy 5-layer burrito, a double decker taco, or a Gordita supreme), a bag of Doritos, and a medium drink.[17] On August 18, 2014, Taco Bell launched a new value menu called Dollar Cravings that included eleven food items each priced a $1.[18][19][20][21]
On December 15, 2017, Taco Bell launched an advertising campaign called "The Belluminati" to advertise its Dollar Cravings menu.[22]
Wendy's
[edit]Wendy's is generally credited with being the first fast food chain to offer a value menu in October 1989, with every item priced at $0.99 (equivalent to $2.43 in 2023).[23][24][25] However, the general price for value menu items is now around $1.55.
References
[edit]- ^ Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. (April 9, 2010). "Arby's Launches National Value Menu Starting at $1" (Press release). Retrieved 2011-04-13.
- ^ arbys.com. "New Arbys's Value Menu". arbys.com. Archived from the original on 2011-04-13. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
- ^ Burger King (March 16, 1998). "Burger King Debuts New 99¢ 'Great Tastes' Menu" (Press release). PR Newswire. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
- ^ "Burger King promotes new menu". South Florida Business Journal. August 12, 2002. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
- ^ Burger King (February 28, 2006). "Burger King Introduces Value Menu" (Press release). Media Post. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
- ^ BKC publication (July 2007). "US Regional Menu Nutritional Brochure" (PDF). Burger King Holdings. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
- ^ "Were the BK Whoppers ever 99c before? | Retro Junk".
- ^ Richard Martin (January 7, 1991). "McDonald's kicks off value menu blitz". Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
- ^ "McDonald's Continues Dollar Menu Brand Campaign With Bilingual Spots[...]" (Press release). Business Wire. June 12, 2002. Retrieved 2010-04-04.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "McDonald's Spices Up Dollar Menu Price Attack". Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. November 27, 2002. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
- ^ Taylor, Kate (December 6, 2017). "McDonald's has a new Dollar Menu — here's everything that's on it". Business Insider. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
- ^ Good Mythical Morning (December 14, 2017). "We Demand $1 Fries on the New McDonald's Dollar Menu". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
- ^ a b "McPicks Menu". McDonald's Canada. December 16, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
- ^ "McDonald's is considering a $5 meal to win back customers. Here's what you'd get. - CBS News". CBS News. May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ "Home". McDonald's Canada. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ "Our Company: History". tacobell.com. Retrieved 2007-02-05.
- ^ "Taco Bell - $2 Meal Deals". tacobell.com. Archived from the original on 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
- ^ Tuttle, Brad (August 18, 2014). "Taco Bell Breathes New Life Into Fast-Food Dollar Menus - Money.com". Money.com. Money.com. Archived from the original on May 30, 2022. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
- ^ Leslie Patton (15 August 2014). "Taco Bell to Introduce Dollar Menu Nationwide - Bloomberg". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
- ^ Ashley Lutz (15 August 2014). "Taco Bell Dollar Menu New - Business Insider". Business Insider. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
- ^ Monllos, Kristina (December 16, 2017). "Taco Bell's Hilarious, Over-the-Top Nod to the Illuminati Isn't Your Average Value Menu Campaign". Adweek. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
- ^ wendys.com (February 5, 2007). "About Us: The Wendy's Story". wendys.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-05.
- ^ Stuart Elliot (February 6, 2006). "Wendy's Returns 99¢ to Its Place on the Price Pedestal". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-02-05.
- ^ York, Emily Bryson (April 7, 2008). "Value menu battleground". Crain's Chicago Business. Crain Communication, Inc.
External links
[edit]- Fast Food Steps Up Value Menus. Bruce Horovitz, January 11, 2006. USA Today, Money.