5 Fast Food Restaurants That Still Offer Value Menus

Remember the days when you could go into most fast food restaurants with a few bucks and come out with a full meal? Us too. Sadly, those days are far behind many fast food establishments. In many cases, fast food has gotten so seriously expensive that it doesn't make sense to swing through the drive-thru on your way home from work anymore.

This isn't the case across the board, though — we did some digging and found that there are actually a few fast food restaurants that still offer value menus (unfortunately, dollar menus are by and large a thing of the past). While you might need to order a few items off of the value menu to make a legit meal, the selections at these 5 fast food chains can still be far cheaper than ordering off of the standard menu. An important note: We researched fast food restaurant prices in Pennsylvania, so there may be some variation in pricing depending on your region. Ready? Grab the change from the center console of your car, hit the drive-thru, and get ready to save big with these still-inexpensive-fast-food options.

Taco Bell offers quite a few solid items on its Luxe Value Menu, and you can easily mix and match them to create a meal that will keep you full for hours. While it's impossible to beat the value offered by Taco Bell back in the day (we're talking a burrito for less than a dollar in the '90s and tacos that cost 19 cents when the chain first opened), you'll be able to save some cash if you stick to the current value menu offerings. The spendiest items on the menu — the limited time avocado ranch chicken stacker and the cheesy double beef burrito come in at $2.99.

Bonus: there are quite a few meat-free offerings on the menu. You can grab a cheesy roll up or a spicy potato soft taco for $1.39, or a cheesy bean and rice burrito for $1.49. If you're in the mood for something with a little more bite, you can snag a mini taco salad (complete with a crispy tortilla shell) or chips with a side of nacho supreme dip for about $2.49. While it's a far cry from being able to snag a burrito for under a buck, Taco Bell is still a solid choice if you want a quick bite without breaking the bank.

McDonald's was once known for being inexpensive — way, way back in the day, the chain offered hamburgers for 15 cents, believe it or not. Prices went up over time, of course, and in 2002, McDonald's unveiled its dollar menu in an effort to get more customers through the door. The days of the McDonald's dollar "menunaires," as ads cheekily nicknamed those ordering from it, are long gone, according to the chain. That being said, some are still waxing nostalgic for the days of walking in with a few dollars and walking out with a legitimate full meal. The old-school menu had a side salad, a McDouble, a McChicken, and more for just a buck. 

While you can't score anything for just a dollar at McDonald's right now, you can still save big with the McValue Menu. If you're looking to spend less than $2, you can snag a classic McChicken or a Hot 'N Spicy McChicken for $1.99. Fountain drinks are also on the McValue Menu, and you can grab a medium drink for $1.69, or you jump up to a large for 10 cents more. You can round out your meal with a small order of french fries for $2.89, and you'll definitely want to stick with the smaller version if you're trying to save cash — a large fry will cost you $4.89.

Remember the Wendy's of days past? The restaurant seriously broke the mold with its buffet-style SuperBar, and customers could get a decent meal from the Super Value Menu for a seriously cheap price. While you're not going to find a 99-cent junior bacon cheeseburger in today's fast food world (the same thing will run you $3.19 on the Everyday Value menu at Wendy's now), there are still quite a few inexpensive options you can pick up at Wendy's. 

For less than $3, you can grab a junior cheeseburger, a junior cheeseburger deluxe, a crispy chicken sandwich, or a junior hamburger. If you want more than a single sandwich, make your way over to the Biggie Deals menu. You start by choosing an entree, and then you get to add a side (choose from a small order of fries, a four-piece order of chicken nuggets, or a small drink). The deals start at $4, and you can add an extra side for $2 more, or an extra entree for $4 more.

Arby's doesn't just have the meats — the chain has the deals, too. You can certainly save quite a bit by ordering off of the Arby's Value Menu, and you'll want to download the app to make sure you're getting the most bang for your buck. The menu offers four different sliders — buffalo chicken, ham, chicken, and roast beef — each for $2.19, and ordering a few of them can help you create a meal that will make your taste buds and your wallet happy. 

You can also add curly fries or crinkle fries to your order for $2.79 a piece, allowing you to create a two-slider meal with fries for less than $8. If you'd prefer a wrap over a slider, you can score the ranch chicken or the honey mustard chicken wrap for $3 a piece. Pro tip: be sure to follow hacks for ordering at Arby's that everyone should know (like asking for cheddar sauce on your roast beef slider to create something like the old-school Arby's Melt) to help stretch your dollar a little bit further.

You might know about Sonic's great slushies and (oddly) delicious ice, but there's another secret about Sonic Drive-In you might not know: They've got a pretty decent $1.99 menu. You can snag a junior bacon cheeseburger, a buffalo crispy tender wrap, or a cheesy Baja crispy tender wrap, as well as a small float with the chain's iconic soft serve ice cream. While it's not a part of the value menu, the French toast breakfast combo is also a solid deal — you can get French toast sticks with a side of syrup and a medium drink for $4.49 (you can make your drink a cold brew iced coffee for 10 cents more).

The chain's well-known drinks also offer a decent value. The fruit-flavored sparkling refreshers go for about $3, and several slush flavors come in around the same price point. One more thing: If you're not already using the Sonic app, it's one of the fast food apps that's actually worth using. In addition to making the ordering process more convenient, some Sonic regulars on Reddit say that the deals in the app can make your meal significantly less expensive.