14 restaurant chains that leaned into value in 2024
In a year of consumer doubt, maintaining traffic was the primary goal Early in 2024, it became clear that restaurant consumers were incredibly cautious thanks to an uncertain economy, and companies began scrapping marketing plans in favor of value deals to maintain their traffic. As early as the first week of January, we began hearing plans for value menus, and those plans continued to roll out throughout the year, with chains adding new deals, revamping previous ones, and adding on as the months rolled by. After months of rumors, chains were really off to the races when McDonald’s launched its $5 Meal Deal in late June, which seemed to open the floodgates. Despite all the talk at quick-service restaurants about low-income consumers, they were not the only chains leaning into value. It was also a trend at casual-dining brands like Applebee’s, which added value deals throughout the year, and Chili’s, which expanded its longtime 3 for Me platform. Click through the gallery to see 15 of the many value deals added in 2024, and stay tuned to NRN.com throughout 2025 to see how the trend continues to play out. Taco Bell Cravings Value Menu.jpg Type Image Caption Credits Courtesy of Taco Bell Gating level anonymous user DataTable subpages Media Image Gallery Slide description: he chain added a new $7 Luxe Cravings Box, including a Chalupa Supreme, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Double Stacked Taco, chips and nacho cheese sauce, and a medium drink. Image Alt Text: Taco Bell Cravings Value Menu.jpgGallery Slide Headline: Published: Jack-in-the-Box.png Type Image Caption Credits Courtesy of Jack in the Box Gating level anonymous user DataTable subpages Media Image Gallery Slide description: In February, Munchies Under $4 platform. That menu offered added a new Big Smasher Burger to its 3 for Me platform, which first launched in 2016. In September, Chili’s Burger King confirmed that it would return its $5 meal to the lineup and accelerate other value offers. The meal included a choice of one of three sandwiches with nuggets, fries, and a drink. Image Alt Text: Burger King.jpgGallery Slide Headline: Published: Starbucks_7.jpeg Type Image Caption Credits Courtesy of Starbucks Gating level anonymous user DataTable subpages Media Image Gallery Slide description: In mid-June, Starbucks announced a limited time Pairings Menu, offering a combination hot or iced coffee or tea with a croissant starting at $5, or a hot or iced coffee or tea with any savory breakfast sandwich starting at $6. Sonic launched a new $1.99 menu, offering snacks, desserts, and entrées at that price indefinitely. It also added two new Queso Wraps at $1.99 each. Also on the new value menu, dubbed FUN.99, is a Quarter Pound Double Cheeseburger, a Chili Cheese Coney hot dog, a small order of potato tots, and any 16-ounce shake. In early October, Sonic reworked the value menu with new sandwiches and drinks. It brought back the Grilled Cheese Burger it first debuted in summer 2021, and added small Cream Slushes. Image Alt Text: Sonic-1-99-menu.pngGallery Slide Headline: Published: Del Taco_1.jpg Type Image Caption Credits Courtesy of Del Taco Gating level anonymous user DataTable subpages Media Image Gallery Slide description: In mid-July, Del Taco, which is owned by Jack in the Box, brIHOP added a new value menu to promote weekday splurging. It launched the House Faves menu, available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. for $6. The menu included the Breakfast Faves Combo (2x2x2), Ham & Cheese Omelette, French Toast Breakfast, and the House Scramble with Hash Browns. Image Alt Text: IHOP house faves.jpgGallery Slide Headline: Published:
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Early in 2024, it became clear that restaurant consumers were incredibly cautious thanks to an uncertain economy, and companies began scrapping marketing plans in favor of value deals to maintain their traffic.
As early as the first week of January, we began hearing plans for value menus, and those plans continued to roll out throughout the year, with chains adding new deals, revamping previous ones, and adding on as the months rolled by.
After months of rumors, chains were really off to the races when McDonald’s launched its $5 Meal Deal in late June, which seemed to open the floodgates.
Despite all the talk at quick-service restaurants about low-income consumers, they were not the only chains leaning into value. It was also a trend at casual-dining brands like Applebee’s, which added value deals throughout the year, and Chili’s, which expanded its longtime 3 for Me platform.
Click through the gallery to see 15 of the many value deals added in 2024, and stay tuned to NRN.com throughout 2025 to see how the trend continues to play out.
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https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/taco-bell-enters-new-value-era-launch-... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Taco Bell added a new Cravings Value Menu at the very beginning of the year. The menu consisted of 10 different items, each priced at $3 or less, including the Cheesy Roll Up, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, Double Stacked Taco, Stacker, Cheesy Double Beef Burrito, 3-Cheese Chicken Flatbread Melt, Chicken Enchilada Burrito, and Loaded Beef Nachos. In late June, thttps://www.nrn.com/quick-service/taco-bell-fires-another-shot-value-war... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">he chain added a new $7 Luxe Cravings Box, including a Chalupa Supreme, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Double Stacked Taco, chips and nacho cheese sauce, and a medium drink.
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In February, https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/jack-box-del-taco-highlight-value-amid... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Jack in the Box highlighted value options including a $3 wrap, $12 Munchie Meals, and digital channel offers like two tacos for 99 cents. In May, the company announced plans to lean into its new https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/jack-box-emphasizes-value-barbell-offe... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Munchies Under $4 platform. That menu offered https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/jack-box-joins-value-play-game-new-pri... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">11 menu items along with an option to add a drink. Options included the French Toast Sticks, Two Tacos, Sourdough Grilled Cheese (a new menu item), Jr. Jumbo Jack, Tiny Tacos, Chicken Nuggets, Jr. Chicken Sandwich, Jr. Cheeseburger, Value Curly Fries, Value French Fries, and the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger.
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Applebee’s went all in on value promotions in 2024, starting with https://www.nrn.com/top-500-restaurants/applebee-s-puts-its-boneless-win... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">50-cent boneless wings in late March. The chain then added https://www.nrn.com/sandwich-trends/applebee-s-adds-new-chicken-sandwich... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">a late-night promotion in mid-June, offering half-priced appetizers including the wings, chicken wonton tacos, mozzarella sticks, chicken quesadilla, spinach and artichoke dip, brew pub pretzels and beer cheese dip, and brew pub loaded waffle fries. A few weeks later, Applebee’s also started offering https://www.nrn.com/casual-dining/applebee-s-latest-value-play-50-cent-m... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">50-cent mozzarella sticks. And in November, the chain launched https://www.nrn.com/top-500-restaurants/applebee-s-launches-999-meal-dea... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">a $9.99 Meal Deal, offering a choice of the Big Cluckin’ hand-breasted chicken sandwich or Big Classic Bacon Cheeseburger with fries and a fountain beverage.
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In early April, https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/kfc-introduces-new-value-offerings-win... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">KFC introduced a “Taste of KFC Deals” value menu, with offerings starting at $4.99. The deals included a $4.99 Meal for One, a Meal for Two, a $20 Family Meal, and a limited-time $10 bucket of eight drums and thighs. KFC also continued to offer its $20 Fill Up Box, and offered digital exclusive value offerings including 50-piece nuggets for $25, a six-piece chicken and nuggets family meal for $24.99, and an 8-piece chicken and eight tenders Fill Up for $30.
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In late April, https://www.nrn.com/family-dining/friendly-s-offers-late-night-value-men... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Friendly’s highlighted a new permanent menu of late-night budget items Sunday through Thursday. The deals included a double cone or dish for $4, a Friend-Z for $5, a Fribble or medium sundae for $6, and an appetizer or large Sunday for $7, with some exclusions.
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The very next day, Chili’s shared that its value strategy was working, and https://www.nrn.com/operations/chili-s-gains-dine-traffic-its-value-mess... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">added a new Big Smasher Burger to its 3 for Me platform, which https://www.nrn.com/casual-dining/chili-s-bolsters-value-message-3-me" style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">first launched in 2016. In September, Chili’s https://www.nrn.com/casual-dining/chili-s-expands-3-me-deal-11-lunch-com... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">expanded that deal to 11 lunch combinations that start at $10.99.
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In late May, https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/burger-king-accelerates-value-offers-i... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Burger King confirmed that it would return its $5 meal to the lineup and accelerate other value offers. The meal included a choice of one of three sandwiches with nuggets, fries, and a drink.
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In mid-June, https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/starbucks-announces-combo-meal-deals" style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Starbucks announced a limited time Pairings Menu, offering a combination hot or iced coffee or tea with a croissant starting at $5, or a hot or iced coffee or tea with any savory breakfast sandwich starting at $6. https://www.nrn.com/news/starbucks-backing-its-short-lived-discounting-s... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">The company backed off its discounting strategy in mid-October.
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After months of rumors, https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/mcdonald-s-confirms-5-meal-deal-launch... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">McDonald’s confirmed its $5 Meal Deal in late June. It included the choice of a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, small fries, a four-piece Chicken McNuggets, and a small soft drink. This came after company executives reported https://www.nrn.com/finance/mcdonald-s-ceo-battleground-low-income-consu... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">declining traffic among low-income consumers throughout Q4 2023, and https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/mcdonald-s-has-lost-some-its-value-edge" style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">among all consumers in Q1 2024. In late November, McDonald’s announced it would extend the meal deal both timing wise (through summer 2025) and in terms of the offerings. McValue will feature exclusive in-app offers, local food and drink deals, and a new Buy One, Add One for $1 offer.
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Also in late June, https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/sonic-drive-launches-199-value-menu" style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Sonic launched a new $1.99 menu, offering snacks, desserts, and entrées at that price indefinitely. It also added two new Queso Wraps at $1.99 each. Also on the new value menu, dubbed FUN.99, is a Quarter Pound Double Cheeseburger, a Chili Cheese Coney hot dog, a small order of potato tots, and any 16-ounce shake. In early October, Sonic reworked the value menu with new sandwiches and drinks. It brought back the Grilled Cheese Burger it first debuted in summer 2021, and added small Cream Slushes.
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In mid-July, Del Taco, which is owned by Jack in the Box, brhttps://www.nrn.com/quick-service/del-taco-brings-back-2-and-under-value... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">ought back its “$2 and Under” value meal. The new version featured items such as snack-sized chips and fresh guacamole. It also included a Bean and Cheese Burrito, Chicken Cheddar Rollers, Crispy Chicken Tacos, Snack-Sized Chips and Guac, and Three-Layer Queso Nachos.
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In late July, https://www.nrn.com/family-dining/denny-s-will-return-2-4-6-8-value-menu... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">Denny’s announced it would relaunch its $2-$4-$6-$8 value menu, with an added $10 category. The value menu was last on offer in 2020 as it celebrated its 10th anniversary.
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In early August, Potbelly said it had https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/potbelly-tests-799-value-combo-meal-redu... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">rolled out a $7.99 everyday value combo meal. The deal included a turkey, ham, or chicken skinny sandwich with chips and a drink.
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In early October, https://www.nrn.com/top-500-restaurants/ihop-adds-new-value-menu-promote... style="color:#467886; text-decoration:underline">IHOP added a new value menu to promote weekday splurging. It launched the House Faves menu, available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. for $6. The menu included the Breakfast Faves Combo (2x2x2), Ham & Cheese Omelette, French Toast Breakfast, and the House Scramble with Hash Browns.
