CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The nation's largest fast food chains are locked in a battle to get people to eat at their locations. Their new secret weapon? Discounted meals.
Inflation keeps millions of Americans from eating out as much as they used to. Now, fast food chains are trying to come up with a solution.
Food and restaurant prices have been steadily rising for the last three years. Eventually, restaurants saw a considerable drop in traffic.
Now, the industry is using discounted meals to bring people back. Major chains, including Burger King, McDonald's and Wendy's, offer discounted comb meals for just $5. For context, the average cost of a Big Mac on its own is a little more than that.
Research shows it's working. In the first three months of 2024, nearly one-third of fast food orders had some sort of discount. Experts believe that number will skyrocket with so many chains offering new deals.
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