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    I Compared $10 Meals at Fast-Food Chains to Find the Best Value

    Press RoomBy No Comments6 Mins Read

    • I spent $10 on meals at Shake Shack, Chick-fil-A, Burger King, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s.
    • I enjoyed the chicken sandwich from Shake Shack, but didn’t feel like I got a lot for my money.
    • The meals from McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s felt like the best value.

    Eating out when you’re on a budget feels harder than ever these days. With prices going up at even the cheapest spots, I set out on a mission to find out which fast-food chain would deliver me the most bang for my buck.

    I visited five well-known chain restaurants — McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, and Shake Shack — and kept to a $10 budget, excluding app-only deals and rewards to keep it even across the board. Here’s how it went.

    Prices may vary by location.

    I started out with a visit to Shake Shack, where $10 didn’t take me very far.


    A fried-chicken sandwich with pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.

    I spent $9.60 on a sandwich at Shake Shack.


    Ivy Carbone

    I’ve eaten at Shake Shack before, so I knew ahead of time that I wasn’t walking into the most budget-friendly restaurant.

    However, I was still pretty shocked that $10 only bought me one Chicken Shack sandwich ($9.60).

    However, the sandwich was very tasty.


    A hand holding a half-eaten fried-chicken sandwich with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and onion.

    The sandwich from Shake Shack was good, but it didn’t leave me feeling full.


    Ivy Carbone

    Although I thought it was pricey, the sandwich was really good. It came on a soft potato bun with lettuce and pickles, but I added tomato, onion, and ShackSauce at no additional charge.

    The chicken was thick, juicy, and well-seasoned, and overall, it was definitely the largest of the sandwiches I tried. However, I finished my meal still feeling hungry.

    Did it taste great? Yes. Was it a great value? Not so much.

    Next, I got a chicken sandwich and fries at Chick-fil-A.


    A fried-chicken sandwich and waffle fries on a tray from Chick-fil-a.

    I spent $8.85 at Chick-fil-A.


    Ivy Carbone

    Luckily, I was able to order a side with my sandwich at Chick-fil-A.

    I decided on the classic chicken sandwich ($5.85) and a medium order of fries ($3), for a total of $8.85. I also got some complimentary Chick-fil-A sauce for dipping.

    Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by the sandwich from Chick-fil-A.


    An open fried-chicken sandwich topped with two pickle chips on a tray at Chick-fil-A.

    I thought the chicken sandwich left a lot to be desired.


    Ivy Carbone

    I’ve been to Chick-fil-A before, but this was actually my first time trying a sandwich from the chain. To be honest, I wish I had a better first impression.

    Overall, it felt plain and underwhelming, especially for the price. The sandwich was admittedly better when I added the complimentary Chick-fil-A sauce — which tastes similar to a mix of honey mustard and barbecue sauce.

    For a nearly $10 meal, though, the portion felt small.

    My next stop was Burger King.


    Fries, onion rings, two fried-chicken sandwiches, and a drink on a tray at Burger King.

    I spent $8.70 at Burger King.


    Ivy Carbone

    Burger King is where things really started to look up for me. I ordered the medium Chicken Jr. meal ($6.50), which came with a sandwich, a medium drink, and a medium side.

    For my side dish, I chose the “have-sies” option — a mix of onion rings and fries (for the same price as regular fries). I also added pickles and ketchup to the sandwich for no additional charge.

    Because I had some money left in my budget, I decided to add a second Chicken Jr. sandwich for $2.20. In total, I spent $8.70.

    I definitely got my money’s worth at Burger King.


    A hand holding a partially eaten fried-chicken sandwich with mayo, ketchup, and lettuce on a sesame-seed bun.

    I loved that the sandwich came on a sesame-seed bun.


    Ivy Carbone

    The Chicken Jr. sandwich seemed smaller than the options I’d gotten at the other restaurants, so I’m glad my budget allowed me to get two.

    The sandwiches and fries were pretty good, and overall, this was the first meal where I felt like I actually got my money’s worth.

    I also thought the sesame-seed bun was a nice touch that helped this sandwich stand out from the pack.

    Then, I went to McDonald’s.


    Two fried-chicken sandwiches, fries, nuggets, and a drink from McDonald's on yellow paper.

    I spent $8.40 at McDonald’s.


    Ivy Carbone

    McDonald’s delivered a solid amount of food for under $10. I opted for the $5 Chicken Meal Deal, which includes a McChicken sandwich, small fries, four nuggets, and a small drink.

    I had enough left in my budget for an extra McChicken sandwich for $2.80. During my visit, I was also charged a total of $0.60 to add pickles to both sandwiches. All together, I spent $8.40.

    My meal at McDonald’s was just OK.


    A hand holding a partially eaten fried-chicken sandwich with lettuce, mayo, and ketchup.

    I didn’t think the chicken patty had much flavor.


    Ivy Carbone

    The patty on the McChicken sandwich didn’t have much flavor, and I definitely tasted the bun and mayo more than the actual chicken.

    The fries, however, were salty, thin, and delicious. As always, the chicken nuggets were crispy and flavorful.

    Overall, I thought this was a decent value meal, but was disappointed that most customizations, aside from ketchup, cost extra.

    It wasn’t the highest-quality food I’ve ever had, but I appreciated the variety of items I was able to get for under $10.

    Finally, I stopped at Wendy’s.


    Two fried-chicken sandwiches (one with bacon and cheese), fries, nuggets, and a drink from Wendy's.

    I thought I got a great value at Wendy’s.


    Ivy Carbone

    From what I saw, Wendy’s seemed like it had the most variety of items available for $10 or less.

    I went with the crispy chicken BLT Biggie Bag, which includes a chicken sandwich with bacon and cheese, four nuggets, a medium fry, and a medium drink for $6.80.

    I had enough money left over to get another plain chicken sandwich for $2.50, which I customized with onion, pickles, and ketchup for no extra charge.

    In total, I spent $9.30 at Wendy’s.

    I felt like I got a great value at this chain.


    A hand holding a fried-chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato.

    I was very happy with my meal from Wendy’s.


    Ivy Carbone

    Although it was still pretty basic, the chicken BLT sandwich felt like an upgrade compared to what I’d gotten elsewhere. The patty was the thickest of all the ones I’d tried, and I also thought it was the most flavorful.

    The nuggets and fries were both solid as well.

    Overall, Wendy’s gave me the most food, variety, and the best options for free customizations.

    I’ll definitely return to Wendy’s for a great meal at a reasonable price.


    The exterior of a Wendy's restaurant.

    I felt like I got my money’s worth from my meal at Wendy’s.


    Ivy Carbone

    If this experience showed me anything, it’s that $10 isn’t what it used to be. Shake Shack may have delivered the best-tasting chicken, but in my opinion, value matters more than ever these days.

    Wendy’s truly made me feel like I was getting my money’s worth. So, if you’re out to eat on a budget, I highly recommend taking a trip to Wendy’s.

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