(LAUREN TAYLOR)
DO YOU HEAR THIS SOUND?
JUST LIKE HAMBURGERS ON THE GRILL, THE WAR FOR CHEAP FAST FOOD MEALS IS HEATING UP. MORE AND MORE CHAINS ARE CUTTING PRICES TO CATCH UP INFLATION-CONCERNED CUSTOMERS WHO MAY BE CONSIDERATELY EATING AT OTHER RESTAURANTS OR JUST STAYING HOME.
THE LATEST TO JUMP ON THE PRICE-CUTTING BAND – WHITE CASTLE – CUTS THE PRICE OF ITS BURGERS BY MORE THAN 30 PERCENT. FOR A LIMITED TIME, THE OHIO-BASED COMPANY IS SELLING DIVISIBLE BAGS OF 10 CHEESE SLIDERS FOR Seven Dollars and Ninety-Nine Cents – THAT’S LESS THAN 80 Cents PER BURGER. THE LAST TIME YOU COULD GET A WHITE CASTLE BURGER FOR THAT PRICE WAS IN 2011.
Jamie Richardson, vice president of White Castle, told the New York Post: “Customers are keeping leftovers fresh longer as food prices have increased… We’re known for our value for money. Now we’re putting more emphasis on that.”
WHITE CASTLE IS CHANGING PRICES IN ITS 335 STORES TO COMPETE WITH ITS LARGER RIVALS LIKE MCDONALD’S, BURGER KING AND TACO BELL, WHICH HAVE EACH LAUNCHED THEIR OWN LOW-PRICE OFFERINGS.
MCDONALD’S FIGHTED AGAINST ITS NAMED “INACCURATE” REPORTING OF ITS PRICING AND INTRODUCED ITS $5 OFFER, WHICH INCLUDES A MCCHICKEN OR MCDOUBLE, PLUS A 4-PIECE CHICKEN MCNUGGET, SMALL FRIES AND A SMALL BEVERAGE.
AND IT WILL STAY UNTIL AUGUST – LONGER THAN ORIGINALLY PLANNED.
IN AN INTERNAL MEMO SHARED BY SEVERAL OUTLETS, MCDONALD’S EXECUTIVES WROTE: “When our customers order the $5 menu, they don’t go to the competition, and early results show that this offering is meeting the goal of attracting guests back to our restaurants.”
AND THIS CONTEST ALSO PROVIDES VALUE FOR MONEY: BURGER KING’S “FIVE DOLLARS YOUR WAY” OFFERS THREE DIFFERENT SANDWICH OPTIONS, TACO BELL’S “LUXE CRAVINGS BOX” INCLUDES TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF TACOS, A BURRITO AND MORE FOR Seven Dollars, AND STARBUCKS’ PAIRING MENU OFFERS CUSTOMERS THE OPTION TO PURCHASE A DRINK AND EITHER A BREAKFAST MEAL FOR FIVE OR SIX DOLLARS.
AND YES – OTHER CHAINS LIKE WENDY’S, POPEYES, JACK IN THE BOX AND SONIC HAVE ALL LAUNCHED NEW OFFERINGS – BUT THESE COMPANIES NOW HAVE TO NOT JUST COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER, BUT
ALSO IN RESTAURANTS OUTSIDE THE FAST FOOD SECTOR.
“How can this Chili’s 3 only cost me $10.99 when fast food is so expensive?”
“Because maybe we don’t have to pay for mascots.”
“Please, I was born for this. Please.”
“That will never happen.”
FAST-CASUAL CHAINS LIKE APPLEBEE’S AND CHILI’S ARE CALLING UP THEIR FAST-FOOD COMPETITORS AND TRYING TO KEEP THEIR PLACE AT THE TABLE TALKS OF COST-CONSCIOUS AMERICANS.
So it looks like the winners in this battle for the cheapest meals are the customers – unless you prefer to eat at home. Which brings us to food prices – and that’s a whole other topic we can worry about another time.
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