The Best Fast Food Deals to Grab Right Now

Life is hectic. Families are busy, so hitting the drive-thru in the morning before work or between practices for dinner is a convenient time saver. Fast-food restaurants can bust your budget if you're not careful, but you can plan ahead to take advantage of deals and promotions. Before you pile in the car or call the pizza place, check out these fast-food money savers, including an under-a-dollar anniversary deal from Popeyes.

Prices and availability are subject to change.

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Popeyes has a number of pickup only deals right now, including the shrimp tackle box with 8 shrimp, side, and biscuit for $5. For a dollar more, switch shrimp out for three chicken tenders and add a drink. For $9, you can get 6-piece chicken tender meal for two. The restaurant is also offering a hot new deal to commemorate its 50th anniversary: From June 12 until June 19, customers can score two pieces of chicken for just 59 cents — the original cost when the restaurant made its debut in 1972. To take advantage of the deal, customers just need to make a minimum purchase of $5 using the mobile app. These deals are only available for pickup orders, so be sure to order online ahead of time. 

Little Caesars does cheap pizza well. It's well known for Hot-N-Ready pizzas, which are now $5.55, up from $5 — thanks, inflation — though the chain does say it is adding more pepperoni. We still recommend paying a dollar more to get Extra Most Bestest pies instead for even more cheese and more pepperoni, making them noticeably better than the Hot-N-Ready pizzas. The upgrade is worth the extra change. 

Related: Best Hole-in-the-Wall Pizza Joints Across America

Many would argue that the French fries are the best thing at McDonald's, and you can get a medium side for free every Friday with a minimum $1 purchase through the app. If it's not Friday, you can still get a great deal: $1 large fries once each week through the app. If you're hitting up the drive-thru before lunch, grab any size hot or iced coffee for $1 as well. All those deals were just extended through the end of 2022.

Related: Why McDonald's Fries Used to Taste Better

Not one to be outdone by the competition, Burger King is offering its customers free fries all year long as well. All you have to do is become a member of their free Royal Perks rewards program, and you can score free fries once a week for the rest of 2022 with any purchase. And don't forget to check the offers page on the restaurant's website, which has rotating deals like $1 onion rings and a $5 meal for two with two Whopper Jr. sandwiches and two small fries.

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The best deal at Wendy's right now is a family meal. For $15, the Feed the Fam meal includes two spicy chicken sandwiches, two junior bacon cheeseburgers, and four small orders of fries. Just two spicy chicken sandwiches alone is over $10 in most locations, making this a heck of a steal. 

Related: We Tasted All 9 Wendy's Breakfast Sandwiches and This Is the Best

Family meals at Panda Express are on sale. For $29, you get your choice of three large entrees and two large sides that will feed a small family. Who doesn't like orange chicken and fried rice?

Taco Bell finally released a make-your-own-combo box, and it's only $5. You can choose one specialty like a Crunchwrap supreme or cheesy Gordita crunch; a classic item like a taco or beefy 5-layer burrito; side like cheesy fiesta potatoes or cinnamon twists; and a drink. 

Related: Live Más: Spicy Secrets Behind Taco Bell's Success

The days of $5 Footlongs are long over, but you can still get a decent deal on them at Subway: If you order through the app or website, you can get 15% off your Footlong order. Just use the code 15OFF when ordering.

Arby's has updated its 2 for $6 Everyday Value menu to include three items. You can mix and match classic roast beef, a chicken cheddar ranch sandwich, or white cheddar mac and cheese. 

Pizza Hut has brought back its $10 Tastemaker promotion for a limited time. It's one of the best money-saving deals at the chain because you can get a large pizza with up to three toppings on hand tossed or thin crust. And unlike many deals, it's available on any ordering method and even for delivery. If you want more variety, grab a Big Dinner Box for $24 with two medium one-topping pizzas with five breadsticks and either pasta, wings, or boneless wings. 

Related: Best Cheap Delivery Pizza

You can feed a crowd with this deal from KFC. The family meal includes eight pieces of fried chicken plus eight chicken tenders to satisfy people with different tastes. It comes with a large order of fries, large mashed potatoes and gravy, large coleslaw, and four biscuits for just $30.

Right now at Domino's, you can feed a lot of people for not much money. For $8 each, you can get large three-topping pizzas on any of the chain's crusts, 8-piece chicken wings, and Dips and Twists combos. It's available only for carryout, but it's a great deal anyway. If you want to save more money, you can get two or more medium 2-topping pizzas for only $6 each for carryout or $7 each for delivery. Plus, you can get bread, chicken, sandwiches, pasta, salads, and dessert for the same price.

Related: Domino's Will 'Tip' You to Come Get Your Own Pizza

Like Domino's, Papa Johns has a buy-two-or-more deal. Items are $6 each as long as you buy at least two, and include a lot of options, such as a medium 1-topping pizza, Papadias, 10-piece Chicken Poppers, cheesesticks, garlic knots, and three desserts. That's a lot of variety that will satisfy everyone.

Related: The Most Over-the-Top Fast Food of the Past 10 Years

Most people know about Sonic's happy hour, but you can actually get the same deals all the time. All you have to do is order online or in the app. You can also get half-price cheeseburgers every Tuesday after 5 p.m. when you order online or through the app.

Related: Secret Menu Items at Your Favorite Family Restaurants

Hardee's is making your lunch run easier and cheaper with $5 Meal Deals. Each one comes with a small fries and small drink plus a main. There are three to choose from:

• $5 Meal Deal Big Cheeseburger
• $5 Meal Deal Hot Ham and Cheese
• $5 Meal Deal 3-Piece Chicken Tenders

Related: The Best Fast Food Breakfast Deals

Del Taco has a new 20 Under $2 value menu. It includes the three $1 crispy chicken tacos, chicken del carbon taco, bean and cheese burritos, chicken rollers, three-layer queso nachos, doughnut bites, mini shakes, and strawberry drinks, among others. Don't forget the restaurant's long-running taco night deals: three value tacos for $1.50 on Tuesdays, and three grilled chicken tacos for $2.50 on Thursdays.

Church's has a coupons section of its website where they put their best unadvertised deals. Right now you can get a meal for two people for $9 that includes five pieces of fried legs and thighs in spicy or original, plus two classic sides and two biscuits. 

A classic cheeseburger combo is the best deal right now at DQ. For $7, you'll get a cheeseburger, regular-size fries, 21-ounce drink, and a small sundae. You can also grab the three-piece chicken strip meal deal for $7 or try the mix and match 2 for $5 deal with options like a small sundae or chili dog.

Related: Fast Food Restaurants Then and Now

There's not much better than free cake. For a limited time, if you order any of Long John Silver's 10-piece or larger family meals, you'll get a free lemon or triple chocolate fudge cake for dessert. The hardest part will be deciding which cake to get.

Related: Highest Calorie Counts at Fast Food Chains (And How to Lower Them)

There are a couple of biscuit sandwiches priced at $2 or less at Bojangles, the Southern biscuit and fried chicken chain. The best is the pimento cheese biscuit, full of creamy, rich pimento cheese spread. If you'd like something meaty, grab a sausage biscuit for just $2.

Steak 'n Shake has four value meals priced at $4 on their regular menu. You can get a double Steakburger with cheese, butter single Steakburger, Steak Frank, or a garlic single Steakburger along with fries. And don't forget that the chain does happy hour from 2 to 4 p.m. every weekday with half-price shakes and drinks. 

Panera has a current special on a classic soup and sandwich combo. You can get a cup of creamy tomato soup with croutons, half a tuna salad sandwich, and a side of French baguette, apple, or chips for just $6. The same combination would be about $9 normally, so you're saving a lot if those are your favorites.

Krispy Kreme knows we're all feeling pain at the gas pump right now, so it's running a Beat the Pump promotion. Every Wednesday through August, you can get a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for the average price of a gallon of gas. So while gas is at record-breaking highs, you'll only be paying less than $6 for a dozen — at least right now.

Find more smart fast-food stories from Cheapism right here.

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