Top 5 Fast-Food Meals Cheaper Than ‘We Have Food at Home'
Do you remember when getting fast food used to be an affordable treat and not a physically and financially shame-inducing spiral from which you'll never recover? No?
After you come home from an exhausting day at work, the house is all out of order, your kids are clamoring to eat and you do not feel like cooking, the last thing you want to hear is, 'We have food at home.'
Up Next:
For You:
Technically, what you have at home are probably ingredients, so it's best not to split hairs and save yourself a potential argument by suggesting to your tired spouse that they whip up a meal. Though not always the case, it still can be cheaper to eat out rather than going to the grocery store and playing tariff roulette with your produce.
With that in mind, GOBankingRates put together a list of the top five fast-food meals that are cheaper than grocery shopping. Order up!
McDonald's McChicken Value Meal
Price: $5
You shouldn't play chicken with your monthly expenses, and with the McDonald's McChicken value meal, you get a McChicken, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, a small French fry and a small soft drink. When you factor in what you would spend on a chicken breast (plus more for nuggets), a head of lettuce, burger buns, mayonnaise, potatoes and soda at the grocery store, you probably started pulling into the drive-thru marked with Golden Arches before you finished reading this sentence.
Explore More:
Taco Bell's Classic Luxe Box
Price: $5
If every time you go to the grocery store, you have to dip into your children's college fund, then maybe you should subsidize with the occasional Taco Tuesday for family night. For $20, you can feed your family of four with this Taco Bell combo meal, which includes a Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, crunchy taco, cinnamon twists and a medium fountain drink. Antacid is sold separately, but you may not need it to settle your system when you see how much money you saved.
Wendy's Biggie Bag
Price: $5
Gone may be the days of Wendy's locations having a sun room you could smoke in while you appreciated nature, but that doesn't mean they still don't offer some nostalgic pricing for some items on their menu. For just $5 a pop, you can get the Biggie Bag at Wendy's, which includes a choice of sandwich (Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, Double Stack or Crispy Chicken), 4-piece chicken nuggets, fries and a drink.
Chipotle Burrito
Price: $11.65 to $12.45
Chipotle may not be the first fast-food option you think of when it comes to savings, but when you factor in its portion sizes for baby-sized burritos or the many influencer cheat codes to multiply how many meals you can get out of your order, the savings do start to add up more than the additional cost of guacamole. You could even buy a burrito for dinner, eat half, and have the second half as a lunch leftover the next day. Of course, this would require more self-control than most people have when delicious food is in front of them.
Subway's Meal of the Day
Price: $9.99
And the number one fast-food meal that is cheaper than 'we have food at home' is … the Subway Meal of the Day!
Why doesn't everyone just relax and enjoy a delicious Subway sandwich until the stock market figures itself out? You can set your calendar to Subway's Meal of the Day, which includes a daily rotating footlong sub option, a choice of a bag of chips or two cookies and a drink. This is an easily shareable meal too, as even Subway is shocked more people aren't splitting in this economy.
More From GOBankingRates
6 Popular SUVs That Aren't Worth the Cost -- and 6 Affordable Alternatives
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Top 5 Fast-Food Meals Cheaper Than 'We Have Food at Home'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Rihanna Uses a Limited-Edition $3,300 Goyard Hobo Bag as Her Airport Carry-on
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Rihanna's Goyard bag collection is the envy of all It girls. She owns eight bags from the French atelier (that we know of) in various shades and silhouettes. But, as of yesterday, it seems her handbag arsenal has grown one bigger. On June 24, the pregnant pop star was snapped by the paparazzi at LAX. While some A-listers dress up for the airport, Rihanna's private jet 'fit prioritized comfort. She sported a tan hoodie, courtesy of her loungewear label, Savage x Fenty, which she kept unzipped. She styled it with a taupe tank top and Heather gray sweatpants. Rihanna continued her Speedcat streak, reaching for a beloved lavender pair from her Jan. 2025 Puma collab, distinguished by their elongated tongue. Pumas are a maternity must-have for the mom of three, having worn the pregnancy-friendly sneakers four times this month. Over the years, Rihanna has become a vintage bag connoisseur, collecting relics from Dior, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Goyard. Naturally, she rounded out this look with one of her best finds. The beauty mogul carried the Goyard's Bohème Hobo in silver, choosing the style over her Croisiere, Anjou, Alto Hatbox, or St. Louis bags. The spacious style is available in 11 hues, but Rihanna's metallic canvas colorway is the rarest of them all. The sweatsuit/Speedcat combo is one of Rihanna's calling cards. Last April, she wore the same Puma sneakers with a simple, cloud gray hoodie and oversize joggers. Then, Rihanna chose a different designer monogram, augmenting her 'fit with the Louis Vuitton's Murakami Speedy bag. Up until now, my sweatsuits have felt utterly underwhelming. Turns out, all I needed was a vintage Goyard bag to spruce things up. View Deal $74 at Savage x Fenty View Deal $39.90 at Uniqlo
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
British Gas to take multibillion-pound stake in Miliband's nuclear power plant
British Gas is poised to take a multibillion-pound bet on a nuclear power plant backed by Ed Miliband. Centrica, the owner of British Gas, is preparing to announce a 15pc stake in Sizewell C in the coming weeks, handing a boost to the project after months of prolonged funding talks. The planned investment will hand Centrica the same-sized stake in Sizewell C as French state-owned energy group EDF. It comes after the Energy Secretary confirmed plans earlier this month to invest £14bn into the power plant by 2029, increasing the Government's total investment in the project to £17bn. He is pumping in taxpayer cash as part of a planned nuclear power renaissance in Britain, with Sizewell C set to generate enough electricity for 6m homes. At the time, he said the investment was 'the right choice for bills, the right choice for jobs and the right choice for growth'. Centrica's planned stake, first reported by the Financial Times, signals a shift in investor interest in Sizewell C, as many large funds have previously been put off by years of delays and cost overruns. EDF had initially been planning to open the plant in 2020, but it is now not expected to begin operations until after 2030. Earlier this month, it also emerged that the cost of Sizewell C had more than doubled to £40bn, up from previous estimates of £20bn. The Government has refused to comment on the cost of Sizewell C, although officials have attempted to play down the scale of the cost increase. It has defended the investment in the project by claiming the Government is 'filling the gap with a new nuclear programme which will see greater efficiencies and learnings carried across projects'. A spokesman said: 'Sizewell C will be an almost exact replica of Hinkley Point C – but crucially learning from previous mistakes and replication. 'EDF says that the second unit of Hinkley is getting built at a rate 25pc quicker than the first, and Sizewell C is effectively a third and fourth version of this reactor.' As well as Centrica and EDF, funds such as Amber Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Asset Management and the Canadian pension fund CDPQ are exploring potential investments. Centrica and EDF were contacted for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Elle
a day ago
- Elle
The Polka Dot Manicure Trends You're About To See Everywhere
Perhaps it was Hailey Bieber's recent outing in which the Rhode founder stepped out in a pair of giant polka dotted capri pants, or maybe the triumphant return of the motif on the runways of Bora Aksu and Moschino – but it seems the divisive dotty trend has reemerged from the archives. So much so, polka dots have starting creeping back into nail art trends this summer, too. From micro dots that play on 'quiet luxury' and monochrome detailing to louder, bolder dotted prints and mis-match accents, polka dot nails have shed their cute connotations and the old-school print is being revived for summer '25. 'Polka dots have exploded in popularity this season, offering a refreshing shift from more intricate designs or, conversely, super minimalist looks,' agrees Daisy Kalnina, the CEO and Founder of The GelBottle Inc. 'We're seeing some really fun variations on the polka dot trend this summer, from classic black-and-white to more vibrant colour combinations. We're also seeing techs playing with scale: from delicate micro-dots to bold, oversized spots that make a real statement,' she notes. The allure of polka dot nails 2.0 is simple: They're both elevated and cool but highly versatile, too. 'The versatility of polka dots is a huge factor owing to its popularity, as they can be combined with other trends effortlessly – think butter yellow or pastel dots over a sheer base,' she adds. While intricate nail art such as polka dots can be tricky to master if you're not a pro, Kalnina says you can achieve the nail art yourself provided you have the right tools and techniques. 'The easiest method is to use a dotting tool, but if you don't have one, a bobby pin, a toothpick, or even the end of a dried-out pen can work for creating perfect small dots,' she shares. 'The trick is to dab a little of your chosen polish onto a piece of foil, then dip your chosen tool into it before carefully creating your desired pattern on the nail.' Below, Kalnina breaks down the manicure trends to note for summer 2025: Teeny-tiny white polka dots on a chrome base add a minimalist touch while still feeling like an upgrade to a classic glazed or glass manicure. Playing with monochromatic detailing, why not mis-match your hands with black-and-white bases and contrasting polka dots? French tips are the perfect way to embrace the trend in a more subtle manner – simply ask your nail tech for a dotted French manicure or use a dotting tool if you're DIY'ing at home. For a nod to polka dots that still feels subtle and chic, this soft nail art ticks all the boxes. Look for a BIAB base, such as Dolly from The GelBottle, to recreate it. Merlot tones needn't just be for the autumn months. This inverted manicure still looks fresh and playful for summer. Lemon yellow is dominating as the heatwave sets in. This French manicure pairs perfectly with subtle gold polka dots and a bold zingy yellow tip. ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Amelia Bell is the Multiplatform Beauty Director for ELLE UK and Harper's Bazaar, developing beauty strategy, writing, editing, and commissioning, and leading beauty content across both sites. Amelia has a particular interest in wellness and longevity, exploring the skin-mind connection, and decoding the latest treatments, tweakments and runway trends. She also has bylines for Women's Health, Refinery29, British Vogue, Harrods Magazine, and more.
