Value menu

{{short description|Low-priced items on a menu}} {{redirect-distinguish|Value meal|Combination meal}}   [[File:Value menu hamburgers.jpg|thumb|alt=Value menu hamburgers.|A selection of value-menu hamburgers from McDonald's, Burger King, Sonic Drive-In and Wendy's.]] A '''value menu''' 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==

===Arby's=== Arby's announced the launch of their value menu on April 9, 2010.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://ir.wendys.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=67548&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1411437 |title=Arby's Launches National Value Menu Starting at $1 |author=Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. |date=April 9, 2010 |access-date=2011-04-13 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arbys.com/menu/ |title=New Arbys's Value Menu |work=arbys.com |author=arbys.com |access-date=2011-04-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110413073847/http://www.arbys.com/menu/ |archive-date=2011-04-13 }}</ref>

===Burger King=== Burger King added a value menu in 1998 with items priced at 99¢ (USD),<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www2.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/3-16-98/435564&EDATE= |title=Burger King Debuts New 99¢ 'Great Tastes' Menu |author=Burger King |publisher=PR Newswire |date=March 16, 1998 |access-date=2010-04-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517075906/http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=%2Fwww%2Fstory%2F3-16-98%2F435564&EDATE= |archive-date=May 17, 2008 }}</ref> {{Inflation|US|0.99|1998|fmt=eq|r=2}}. In 2002<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2002/09/09/daily63.html |title=Burger King promotes new menu |publisher=South Florida Business Journal |date=August 12, 2002 |access-date=2007-10-09 }}</ref> and 2006, BK revamped its value menu, adding and removing products at 99¢, and later increasing some prices to $1.39.<ref>{{cite press release| url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/40366/| title=Burger King Introduces Value Menu| date=February 28, 2006| author=Burger King| publisher=Media Post| access-date=2010-04-04}}</ref> Many of these items have since been discontinued, modified or relegated to a regional menu option.<ref name="usrng">{{cite web|url=http://www.bk.com/Nutrition/PDFs/regional_menu.pdf |title=US Regional Menu Nutritional Brochure |author=BKC publication |publisher=Burger King Holdings |date=July 2007 |access-date=2007-10-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928150720/http://www.bk.com/Nutrition/PDFs/regional_menu.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-28 }}</ref> The Burger King Whopper was the very first 99 cent burger and it revolutionized the 99 cent menu in the fast food industry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.retrojunk.com/community/post/index/38584|title=Were the BK Whoppers ever 99c before? | Retro Junk}}</ref>

===McDonald's=== After numerous attempts beginning in 1991,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n1_v25/ai_9328004/ |title=McDonald's kicks off value menu blitz| publisher= Nation's Restaurant News| date= January 7, 1991| author= Richard Martin | access-date=2010-04-04 }}</ref> experimenting with a variety of menus and pricing strategies,<ref>{{cite press release| url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-87117044.html| title=McDonald's Continues Dollar Menu Brand Campaign With Bilingual Spots<nowiki>[...]</nowiki>| publisher=Business Wire| date=June 12, 2002| access-date=2010-04-04}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> McDonald's launched its first national value menu, the ''Dollar Menu'', in late 2002 in the United States.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-94875321.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103101943/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-94875321.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=November 3, 2012|title=McDonald's Spices Up Dollar Menu Price Attack.|publisher= Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News |date=November 27, 2002| access-date=2010-04-04}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Taylor|first1=Kate|title=McDonald's has a new Dollar Menu — here's everything that's on it|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-new-dollar-menu-items-costs-2017-12|website=Business Insider|access-date=December 16, 2017|language=en|date=December 6, 2017}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=We Demand $1 Fries on the New McDonald's Dollar Menu|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLgE9FBOtTY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/ZLgE9FBOtTY |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|website=YouTube|author=Good Mythical Morning|access-date=December 16, 2017|language=en|date=December 14, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In Canada, fries are available for CA$2.49 on the McPicks menu.<ref name="McPicksCA">{{cite web|title=McPicks Menu|url=https://menupriceinuk.co.uk/mcdonald-menu-prices/|website=McDonald's Canada|access-date=December 16, 2017|language=en|date=December 16, 2017}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |title=McDonald's is considering a $5 meal to win back customers. Here's what you'd get.|first1=Khristopher J. |last1=Brooks|first2=Aimee|last2=Picchi|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcdonalds-5-dollar-meal-what-does-it-include/ |website=CBS News |access-date=May 15, 2024 |date=May 13, 2024}}</ref> In Canada, a similar meal is available for CA$5.79, without the four McNuggets.<ref name="McPicksCA"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="width:800px;" |- ! colspan = "5" | McDonald's Dollar Menu (United States) |- ! Price point ! colspan = "4" | Items |- ! {{rh}} | $1 | Cheeseburger || McChicken || Sausage Burrito || Soft Drink |- ! {{rh}} | $2 | Bacon McDouble || Buttermilk Crispy Tenders (x2) || Sausage McGriddles || Small McCafé |- ! {{rh}} | $3 | Triple Cheeseburger || Classic Chicken Sandwich || Sausage McMuffin with Egg || Happy Meal |}

{| class="wikitable" style="width:800px;" |- ! colspan = "5" | McDonald's Summer Value Menu 2024 (Canada) <ref>{{cite web|title=Home|url=https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca.html|website=McDonald's Canada|access-date=May 15, 2024}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2025}} |- ! Price point ! colspan = "4" | Items |- ! {{rh}} | $1 {{dagger}} | Small Soft Drink || Small Iced Coffee || Vanilla Cone || |- ! {{rh}} | $2 | Small Fruit Splash || Snack Size Milkshake {{double-dagger}} || Sundae || 2 Apple Pies |- ! {{rh}} | $3 | Small Fruit Smoothie || Small Frappe || Small Cold Brew || Large Fruit Splash |}

{{dagger}} 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.<br/> {{double-dagger}} The snack size Grimace Shake is also available for $2.

===Subway=== {{Main|Subway $5 footlong promotion}} Subway offered a $4.99 footlong menu in the United States. The promotion began in 2004 as a $5 footlong menu ({{Inflation|US|5|2004|fmt=eq|r=2}}).

===Taco Bell=== In 1988, Taco Bell lowered the prices of all new items and launched the first three-tiered pricing strategy and free drink refills.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.tacobell.com/company/| title=Our Company: History| work=tacobell.com| access-date=2007-02-05| archive-date=2011-08-12| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812223309/http://www.tacobell.com/company| url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.tacobell.com/company/newsreleasearticle/two-dollar-meal-deal| title=Taco Bell - $2 Meal Deals| work=tacobell.com| access-date=2011-12-05| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202083610/http://www.tacobell.com/company/newsreleasearticle/two-dollar-meal-deal| archive-date=2011-12-02}}</ref> On August 18, 2014, Taco Bell launched a new value menu called Dollar Cravings that included eleven food items each priced a $1.<ref name="Taco Bell is latest chain to offer a dollar menu - LA Times">{{cite web|author=Brianna Sacks|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-taco-bell-dollar-menu-20140818-story.html|title=Taco Bell is latest chain to offer a dollar menu - LA Times|work=Los Angeles Times|date=18 August 2014|access-date=2014-08-25}}</ref><ref name="Taco Bell Breathes New Life Into Fast-Food Dollar Menus - Money.com">{{cite web |author=Tuttle |first=Brad |date=August 18, 2014 |title=Taco Bell Breathes New Life Into Fast-Food Dollar Menus - Money.com |url=https://money.com/taco-bell-dollar-menu/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530225150/https://money.com/taco-bell-dollar-menu/ |archive-date=May 30, 2022 |access-date=2014-08-25 |website=Money.com |publisher=Money.com}}</ref><ref name="Taco Bell to Introduce Dollar Menu Nationwide - Bloomberg">{{cite news|author=Leslie Patton|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-15/taco-bell-to-introduce-dollar-menu-nationwide.html|title=Taco Bell to Introduce Dollar Menu Nationwide - Bloomberg|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|publisher=Bloomberg|date=15 August 2014|access-date=2014-08-25}}</ref><ref name="Taco Bell Dollar Menu New - Business Insider">{{cite web|author=Ashley Lutz|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-dollar-menu-new-2014-8|title=Taco Bell Dollar Menu New - Business Insider|publisher=Business Insider|date=15 August 2014|access-date=2014-08-25}}</ref>

On December 15, 2017, Taco Bell launched an advertising campaign called "The Belluminati" to advertise its Dollar Cravings menu.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Monllos|first1=Kristina|title=Taco Bell's Hilarious, Over-the-Top Nod to the Illuminati Isn't Your Average Value Menu Campaign|url=http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/taco-bells-hilarious-over-the-top-nod-to-the-illuminati-isnt-your-average-value-menu-campaign/|website=Adweek|access-date=December 17, 2017|date=December 16, 2017}}</ref>

===Wendy's=== 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 ({{Inflation|US|0.99|1989|fmt=eq|r=2}}).<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.wendys.com/about_us/story.jsp| title=About Us: The Wendy's Story| work=wendys.com| author=wendys.com| date=February 5, 2007| access-date=2007-02-05| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202021557/http://www.wendys.com/about_us/story.jsp| archive-date=February 2, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/06/business/media/06adco.html?ei=5088&en=db0652bc7a82f9e8&ex=1294203600&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all| title=Wendy's Returns 99¢ to Its Place on the Price Pedestal| work=The New York Times |author=Stuart Elliot |date=February 6, 2006 |access-date=2007-02-05 }}</ref><ref name=VMB>{{cite news| title=Value menu battleground| date=April 7, 2008| url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?article_id=29608| author=York, Emily Bryson|publisher=Crain Communication, Inc.|work=Crain's Chicago Business}}</ref> However, the general price for value menu items is now around $1.55.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2006-01-11-value-menu-usat_x.htm?POE=MONISVA Fast Food Steps Up Value Menus]. Bruce Horovitz, January 11, 2006. USA Today, ''Money''.

Category:Restaurant menus Category:Fast food