We Found All the Best $1 Fast Food Deals
Updated: Jan. 08, 2024
Get more bang for your buck with the best dollar menu items at all your favorite fast food restaurants.
Del Taco: Chicken Quesadilla Snacker
Saying that Del Taco is the best cheap fast food restaurant is easy. Deciding which Del Taco “Buck and Under” menu item is the most delicious is difficult. With 17 different menu items to choose from, ranging from tacos to burritos, real strawberry lemonade to mini shakes, you should probably just order a seventeen-course meal. The Chicken Quesadilla Snacker is the cheesiest, meltiest dollar you’ll ever spend.
Never heard of Del Taco? Here’s why people are talking about this chain.
Burger King: Cheeseburger
We have to pay homage to the Burger King Cheeseburger. After all, Burger King was the first fast food restaurant to offer a burger for only 99 cents in 1998—it seems crazy that 20 years later you can still get a pretty good cheeseburger for a buck. They’re not skimping on toppings either, with melted American cheese, mustard, ketchup and pickles all included.
Taco Bell: Beefy or Chicken Mini Quesadilla
The Taco Bell Cravings Menu might be the best dollar menu out there. All priced at $1, the items include nachos, burritos and even a caramel apple empanada. But, the cult favorite is definitely the beefy or chicken mini quesadilla, made with a three-cheese blend and wrapped in a soft, warm tortilla.
The best part? No one will judge you when you order three and make a triple-decker quesadilla. You’re in the land of “Live Más.”
Wendy’s: Frosty
News alert: Wendy’s announced that their famous Frosty, normally priced at a dollar, will be 50 cents for a limited time. That’s correct—two quarters. If you really want to play like a pro, go ahead and throw four more quarters down on the counter for Wendy’s natural-cut fries for the best (edible) frosty spoon.
Del Taco: Breakfast Tacos
Chicken Quesadilla Snacker aside, we haven’t forgotten Del Taco’s breakfast tacos, which will certainly cure what ails you. Choose from egg and cheese, chorizo or bacon for a miraculous transformation from morning cretin to shining star. (Psst: Don’t sleep on the Donut Bites, also included on the Buck and Under menu!)
Jack in the Box: Mini Pancakes
Missed the most important meal of the day? Jack in the Box serves breakfast all day long. So while, yes, the tacos tend to be the fan favorite on the value menu, never forget that Jack in the Box offers 8-piece mini pancakes for only $1.
Fast food breakfast sandwiches have a shocking secret—do you know where your egg is coming from?
White Castle: Cheese Slider
White Castle Cheese Sliders are less than $1, which means you can cater a small party for less than $25. Topped with onions, pickles and your choice of American, Jalapeño or Smoked Cheddar cheese and served on that fluffy cloud of a bun, these are perfectly sized so you can hold one in each hand.
McDonald’s: Vanilla Cone
The perfect treat for a hot summer day, McDonald’s sells its vanilla cones for just $1, all day every day. They also offer their parfait as a dessert alternative for only $1 as well, but you might be surprised that the vanilla cone and the parfait have roughly the same amount of calories—right around 150.
Check out these healthy options from the top fast food restaurants.
Arby’s: Happy Hour Sliders
We’re a fan of anything that turns lunch-at-your-desk hour into a happy hour. At some locations, Arby’s runs its happy hour from 2-5 p.m., selling sliders, fries, shakes or drinks for just $1.
Hardee’s: Apple Turnover
Hardee’s may not have a value menu, but you can bet they’re still selling their hot apple turnovers for 99 cents. Deep-fried apple turnover? We’ll have 10, thank you very much.
We’ve rounded up the best fast food copycat recipes, so you can whip up your faves at home.
Originally Published: May 20, 2019
