Millions of American families are hitting the road to start summer vacation, and ordering food on the run tends to be par for the course. It couldn’t come at a better time. Fast food joints are in the midst of a budget-meal war, offering promotions to lure customers back to their restaurants despite inflation woes and a minimum-wage increase in California and other states.
Starting June 25, McDonald’s will offer a monthlong deal featuring a combo meal —either a McChicken, a McDouble or four-piece chicken nuggets, small fries and a small drink — for $5. After McDonald’s announcement last month, other fast food restaurants followed suit. Wendy’s announced its $3 limited-time breakfast combo meal and Burger King trumpeted that it planned to bring back its $5 Your Way Meal.
In addition, fast food mobile apps continue to offer deep discounts. Recently, a Big Mac with medium fries and medium drink cost $11.79 before tax at a McDonald’s in Santa Ana, California.
That same meal ordered via a mobile app for pickup at the same location cost $6.50 before tax, a savings of $5.29.
But the prices and deals tend to vary depending on the user. Diners have taken to complaining on Reddit about the McDonald’s mobile app. Some say the deals decrease with use.
Others say their friends or partners were getting a better deal on the app than they were getting. A few mentioned that they could find better deals by just walking in and ordering at their local McDonald’s. The plethora o.