10 Fast Food Places Where You Can Grab a Meal for $5 or Less!

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Remember when every restaurant had a dollar menu?

Wendy's Chicken Nuggets

At the risk of sounding like an old-timer, it wasn’t too long ago that you could leave the house with five bucks and easily come home with a full belly. These days, it’s hard to find a decent sandwich for $5, let alone a whole meal.

With elevated food prices here to stay, many people are cutting back on their fast food consumption to save money. Restaurants are now trying to lure customers back with new value menu items, cheap meal deals, and other promotions.

While the days of a true dollar menu may be in the rearview mirror, there are still some opportunities to grab a fast food meal for around five bucks.

Here are the best fast food five-dollar meals you can buy:

7-Eleven Pizza slices

Grab a $5 Pizza Meal Deal from 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores.

From October 30th through January 7th, 2025, 7Rewards and Speedy Rewards members can snag two pizza slices and any 20 oz. Coke or Sprite for only $5 at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes stores.


meal from Burger King next to bag

Burger King’s $5 Your Way Meal is still available!

Burger King’s $5 Your Way Meal is now back on the menu for a limited time! This value meal includes one of three sandwich choices, along with nuggets, fries, and a drink.

The $5 Your Way Meal is expected to remain on Burger King’s menu for “several months” – hopefully longer! 🤞


holding a Burger in front of fries, chicken nuggets, and a fountain drink from Checkers & Rally's

Checkers & Rally’s $5 T-Pain For Real Meal is Here!

For a limited time, you can grab the T-Pain For Real Value Meal for just $5 at participating Checkers and Rally’s locations.*

The meal features your choice of the classic Checker/Rallyburger OR the new BBQ Spicy Chicken Sandwich (Checkers & Rally’s Spicy Chicken sandwich topped with melty American cheese, Sweet N’ Smoky BBQ sauce, and pickles on a toasted bun). This meal also comes with a small order of fries, a 16-ounce soft drink, and 8 BBQ Chicken Bites.

*Note that these meals may be $6 in select markets.


dairy queen meal on tray

Assemble a meal from Dairy Queen’s 2/$5 menu.

Dairy Queen has a 2/$5 menu that allows you to mix and match six of its most popular menu items. Pair a cheeseburger or chicken strips with fries, soft pretzel sticks, a drink, or dessert!


fast food sandwiches, fries and and a drink

Get Original Bag for $5 – $6 at Hardee’s.

For a limited time, you can stop by Hardee’s and order an Original Bag for around $5 (price varies by location). It comes with your choice of two entrées plus fries and a drink. Your two entrées can be any combination of the following: an Original Hot Ham ‘N’ Cheese Sandwich, a Double Cheeseburger, and a Hand-Breaded Chicken Tender Wrap.


holding up a chicken tender with barbeque sauce on it

Pick up a Krispy Krunchy Chicken Value Meal for just $4!

For a limited time, you can grab a Krispy Krunchy $4 Value Meal (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at participating locations.

This limited-time Value Meal includes your choice of either two pieces of dark meat bone-in fried chicken, or two hand-breaded white meat Cajun tenders, both marinated in the brand’s signature mild Cajun spice blend before being hand-breaded and fried fresh on-site. No matter which entree you choose, you’ll also get a side of potato wedges.

Krispy Krunchy Chicken is sold at 3,000+ locations including convenience stores and other retailers nationwide!


man holding a McDonald's McChicken

McDonald’s $5 value meal is now available nationwide.

McDonald’s launched a $5 Meal Deal in June, and the restaurant recently confirmed that this deal has been extended at participating locations through December!

This new $5 value meal includes four items: your choice of a McChicken or a McDouble, a four-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, small fries, and a small drink.


steak n shake burger and fries

Steak ‘n Shake has 4 meal deals for around $5.

Steak ‘n Shake offers 4 meal deals that will get you a juicy burger and fries for around $5, depending on your location. Choose from the Original Double Steakburger with Cheese, Garlic Single Steakburger, Butter Single Steakburger, or Bacon ‘N Cheese Single Steakburger.


5 Taco Cabana breakfast & lunch options

Taco Cabana has $4.99 meal deals all day long.

Taco Cabana is bringing back its popular $4.99 Meal Deals, and there’s even a breakfast option!

The $4.99 Rise and Grind includes two breakfast tacos, a crispy golden hashbrown, and one freshly brewed coffee or 20 oz. drink (available during breakfast hours only).
The breakfast taco options are Chorizo & Egg, Bean & Cheese, or Potato & Egg.

The $4.99 Crunch & Quench comes with one Double Crunch Pizza (choose shredded chicken or ground beef) and a 20 oz. drink.


Wendy's items on a tray in-restaurant

Wendy’s Meal Deals start at just $4!

Wendy’s has several Meal Deals on its menu starting at just $4! The Junior Bacon Cheeseburger 4 for $4 Meal includes a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, 4-piece chicken nuggets, fries, and a drink for just four bucks.

Wendy’s also has several Biggie Bags, which come with one of five sandwich choices along with a 4-piece order of chicken nuggets, fries, and a drink. Wendy’s Biggie Bags are priced at either five or six dollars, depending on your choice of sandwich.


See our list of everywhere you can score cheap eats this week!


About the writer:

Jenna has a Bachelor's Degree from Lycoming College and her Master's from Penn State, holding 4 years of writing experience between a variety of publications and Hip2Save.


Join The Discussion

Comments 21

  1. Pianomumak

    This does not apply to AK😉

    • Jessica (Hip Sidekick)

      Bummer! Good to know that offers may vary by location. ❤️

  2. TD

    McDonalds had a $6 meal with a McDouble, 4 piece chicken nuggets, small fry, and small drink in Louisiana this week

    • Jessica (Hip Sidekick)

      Nice! Thanks for letting us know about a meal offer near you, TD! 🙌

  3. Lisa

    I’m curious to know if this will be available in California. Many fast food joints are now paying $20 for minimum wage. I’m doubtful this will be an option.

    • Jessica (Hip Sidekick)

      Hey Lisa! You might check with your individual restaurant locations to find out the pricing on any specials. Another helpful tool is to download apps for the fast food restaurants you enjoy, as they sometimes offer special deals, rewards, points, etc. to app users. Hope this helps! 💓

    • Lizag

      In Oxnard (Ventura County), Wendys has the Jr. Cheeseburger meal for $5.00. It includes a Jr. Cheeseburger, fries, 4 nuggets and a drink. Unfortunately, I don’t see any McDonalds or Burger King in my area offering meals for $5.00. My guess is that it depends on the restaurant.

      • Anthony

        yeah it just depends on location, because i’m in orange county and one location serves it for $5 but another location nearby the cheapest meal deal is $8

  4. Happy Aunt

    A little more money, but Hardee’s has 2 sandwiches ( dbl cheeseburger, hot ham and cheese, roast beef, and either a chicken wrap or sandwhich-I forget), fries, and a small drink. I appreciate the value.

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Thanks for the suggestion! 🙌

  5. Brit

    I just get so over the greasy, high carb/fat options with no freshness so to speak. I’m going to sound like a real old timer when I say I actually miss those McSalad Shakers McDonalds used to have….lol. At least bring back grilled chicken please! Although, Cookout does have grilled chicken thankfully.

    • Lana

      I’m in complete agreement. I feel sick after eating a meal like those.

      • Brit

        Yes, same 😮‍💨

  6. alex

    I think that supermarket deli’s are underestimated and can be inexpensive.

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Those can be a great place to grab affordable food options too! Thanks for mentioning it, Alex! 🙌❤️

  7. Ihearthip

    If you get a 6 pc Happy Meal with double fries you can come out pretty good, plus a toy!

    • Jessica (Hip Sidekick)

      So true! Thanks for sharing the meal deal you like to snag at McDonalds! ❤️

  8. CheapThrill

    Or $5 costco chicken!

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      Thanks for that suggestion! 💕🙌

  9. Jodi P

    Buy a Wendy’s Frosty key tag for $3, and get a free Jr Frosty with ANY purchase, all year long.
    So you can get that $4 meal AND a free Jr Frosty.

    • Amber (Hip Sidekick)

      YES! Nice deal for sure! 😋

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