Best Deals in Fast Food

Lately I’ve been low on cash. Pathetically low. Games cost money. Food also costs money. Hmmm, dilemma. And unfortunately, food is necessary to live, so I'll have to skip over games for a while. Yet, with my college years behind me, my lifetime quota for Instant Ramen has been reached. So I’m moving on up to a classier source of sustenance: fast food restaurants. Or at least their value menus; I'm not ready to too far into debt yet. I'll at least wait for grad school for that.



In recent months, we have entered a new era of fast food values. With gas prices on the rise and consumers eating out less, the fast food chains have been reorganizing their menus and slashing prices in the interest of luring in more patrons. So, I decided that I would try to do something for the good of the community and help educate other starving Americans on how to navigate this new age of fast food. So here are what I think are the five best deals in fast food these days.

(And keep in mind, although these deals are amazing, you're still going to be massively in debt if you eat them every day. This is for when you need cheap food on the go or you just can't stand the sight of your kitchen anymore.)

5. Wendy’s
Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe Weight: 152 g Price: $ .99
153.53 grams/dollar
Deliciousness Rating: 7
Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger Weight 136g Price: $ .99
137.37 grams/dollar
Deliciousness Rating: 8
The Wendy’s value menu is the oldest and most unchanged, as far as fast food goes. As the West Virginia of value burgers, Wendy’s has revolved its menu around the big three items: Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe and 5 Piece Chicken Tenders. Of the three, the Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe has the best grams/dollar ratio. The Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, which trades in pickles and onions for bacon is an excellent alternative to anyone who has a hankering for some pork or if they, like me, have a heavy allergic reaction to veggies. Since both of them have been priced at a dollar since the dawn of time, they offer an excellent option to any hungry consumer.

4. Jack in the Box
Big Cheeseburger: Weight: 212 g Price: $1.29
164.34 grams/dollar
Deliciousness rating: 7
The Big cheeseburger is the overlooked stepchild of the Jack in the Box Menu. A relatively recent addition to the Jack in the Box menu, it is oftentimes ignored for its smaller, cuter and cheaper siblings. Though the Big Cheeseburger is one of the more expensive items on the value menu, it definitely the best value. It dominates over the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger which weighed in at 126 grams/dollar. Like all Jack in the Box burgers, be prepared for some extra mayonnaise. By the end of the solid slab of meat, bun, cheese and mayonnaise, I daresay that most any consumer should have their hunger more than satiated. Whereas occasionally it takes 2 lesser burgers to meet my needs, the trusty Big Cheeseburger gets the job done on the first try.

3. McDonalds
Double Cheeseburger: Weight: 165 g Price: $1.00
165 grams/dollar.
Deliciousness rating: 8
I’ve never been a big fan of McDonalds. I only chose to eat there during their 29 cent hamburger and 39 cent cheeseburger craze. Their Big Mac and Quarter Pounder Burgers were much too expensive, had a high carb:meat ratio and the fancy paper packaging made me feel inadequate. Luckily, the Double Cheeseburger came along and I fell in love again. Two patties, two slices of cheese. What else could you need? Coming in at the low cost of $1, it is a welcome alternative to McDonald’s only other low priced sandwich option: the McChicken, which scored 147 grams/dollar.

2. Taco Bell
Cheesy Double Beef Burrito: Weight:227 g Price: $.89
255.06 grams/dollar
Delicousness Rating: 7
Taco Bell has radically slashed its prices in recent weeks, leading to their menus looking like they were made in the 90s. Though all of the items on the value menu are less than a dollar, they mostly comprise of snacks like cinnamon twists, nachos and basic tacos. The real diamond in the rough here is the Cheesy Double Beef Burrito. There are no frills here, just straight up beef and cheese. At a price tag of 89 cents, the Cheesy Double Beef Burrito definitely takes the prize as best value. The taste is nothing to scoff at either.



1.Subway
Meatball Marinara Footlong: (Including wheat bread, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, pickles, olives and cheese.)
Weight: 754 Price: $5.00
150.8 grams/cent
Deliciousness Rating: 9
I’ve discussed with my friends that this is the event to tell our grandchildren. It is comparable to the tales of our own parents and their tales of buying two horses and a buggy with a nickel. “In summer 2008, right before Emperor McCain I ruined our country a restaurant called Subway revolutionized the sandwich industry and fed a nation. Lines were out the door daily whenever noon came for hungry crowds wanting Five Dollar Footlongs. They were magnificent. You could choose from over a dozen different varieties, but one stood out from the crowd. The Meatball Marinara the best value and was a warm and filling meal. However, and it was limited time only, and when it ended, there was a great uproar in the streets caused by the tears in our stomach.” Okay, so it's a bit overdramatic, I know. Still, Subway offers size meals for great prices. As an added bonus, they’re customizable so you have unrivaled variety. But, enjoy it while it lasts, because it is limited time only (supposedly).