This Fast-food Value Meal Is the Worst Bang for Your Buck

Looking at the receipt from a fast-food value meal sometimes makes us wonder how much "value" we actually got, especially if the meal doesn't leave us feeling full afterward. 

It's one thing to pay a little bit more to get exactly the food combination you're craving, but grabbing a pre-fabricated value meal is supposed to offer savings — and some of these widely advertised value meals don't offer as much savings as they make it seem. 

Many choose value meals, believing they will help them stretch their fast food budget and let them go out to eat more, but that isn't always the case. Find out which restaurant chain offers the least value in its combo meals and where to go instead.

Savings: $1.51

Two pieces of chicken, two sides, and a biscuit hardly seem worthy of the title "big," but for $6.99, it seems like a reasonable amount of food. Unfortunately, buying the items individually totals $8.50, so there isn't much savings — especially if you'll still be hungry afterward. 

Popeye's serves some of the best fast-food fried chicken, though, so even though they only offer 18% savings on their Big Box, they remain a popular option for other menu items — like the chicken sandwich. 

Savings: $3.21 

Going with KFC's two-piece chicken meal only gets customers a side of mashed potatoes and a biscuit, so there is less food than in a Big Box from Popeyes, even if there is technically more savings. Additionally, it's only offered with dark meat (one drumstick and one thigh), so that could deter some customers. 

Savings: $3.66

Burger King's value meal offers a choice of Chicken Jr. sandwich and four-piece chicken nuggets, along with fries and a drink. However, that might not hit the spot for those craving fried chicken but hoping for savings with a value meal. 

Savings: $4.96

McDonald's $5 Meal Deal is virtually identical to Burger King's but saves more than ordering each item individually—which is because the base prices are higher than their main competitor's. The value combo does allow customers to choose a McChicken sandwich and comes with four-piece chicken nuggets, fries, and a drink. 

Savings: $8.65

The best value meal deal comes from Taco Bell, so it's not likely to be the first alternative to come to mind if you're craving fried chicken. However, the standard beef ingredient can be swapped for chicken for a small upcharge. Taco Bell offers the highest savings when comparing value meal deals, but it also offers the most food by quantity. 

Popeye's Big Box value meal offers the least savings, but it includes more food than the KFC alternative, so if you're looking for fried chicken, it's a viable option. 

If you're looking for the best value and the most food, then you'll want to go with Taco Bell's Luxe Cravings Box. Both the Big Box and the Luxe Cravings Box are $7, so either way, it's a decently-priced meal on the go. 

People are moving away from fast food in general because of the rising costs of eating out, choosing to wait for discounts or find clever hacks to save money at restaurants instead. 

Fast-food chains hope to combat this trend by finding price points low enough to lure consumers back — often with new value meal combos or items added to the menu.