Even in the era of $7 lattes, cheap, quick, and greasy eats can still be found for less
than $1.
To help you hunt down some wallet-friendly cuisine, we've rounded up the tastiest fast
food items you can get for $1 or less.
McDonald's launched its Dollar Menu in 2002, but the fast-food giant was tragically forced
to ditch it in 2013 when they discovered it's mighty tough to turn a profit shelling out
$1 double cheeseburgers and sundaes.
But diners protested, so McDonald's introduced a new value menu in 2018.
The value menu includes items for $1, $2, and $3, and the tastiest $1 option may very
well be the McChicken.
What makes this sandwich shine is the McChicken Patty, which is satisfyingly crispy and delivers
a uniquely peppery kick.
It comes on your basic McDonald's bun, with shredded iceberg lettuce and a daunting amount
of mayo.
So much mayo, in fact, that you may want to scrape some of it off.
“What are you tryin to kill me!?”
"If you’re going to pass in white America, you’re going to have to learn to like mayonnaise!”
Taco Bell unveiled its new value menu in 2014, which includes, among other delectable dishes,
the caramel apple empanada.
Choosing a favorite from the Taco Bell Dollar Cravings menu is like choosing a favorite
star in the sky.
So why settle on the caramel apple empanada?
Well, in addition to its ultra-low price point, it's comfortingly reminiscent of apple pie,
the kind that your grandma used to make when she worked at Taco Bell.
This crispy dessert features a gooey apple-and-hot-caramel interior.
For best results, let the empanada cool before consuming to avoid scalding your tongue.
This will only take a few minutes, but they will be the longest few minutes of your life.
You could grab a standard hamburger at Burger King for $1, or you could take things to a
whole new level by adding cheese without paying a penny more.
The Burger King cheeseburger costs just $1 and comes with a beef patty draped in a layer
of hot, gooey American cheese.
All of this is complemented by crunchy crinkle-cut pickles, yellow mustard, and good ol' ketchup,
nestled within a toasted sesame seed bun.
“You need to call for a press conference now.”
“Call for a press conference?”
“Yeah.
Hogan, drive.
Cheeseburger first.”
Compare the BK cheeseburger to the Whopper with cheese, which costs close to $5 in some
locations.
The Whopper is bigger and comes with extras like tomatoes, fresh lettuce, onions, and
mayo.
The cheeseburger comes with none of that stuff, but again, it costs just $1.
This conundrum can create a war between the stomach and the wallet.
But when you know that you need just a small, quick bite, it's hard to beat the simple cheeseburger.
“A burger, you had to have a burger.
Did you get me one of those?”
Here's a fun fact: when Sonic first released its Everyday Value Menu in 2008, it included
a fresh banana.
As a long, yellow tropical fruit that grows on actual trees, the banana is very different
from most fried fast food options.
Alas, Sonic's fresh banana has since disappeared from the menu and thus does not make this
list of the tastiest $1-or-less fast food items.
Instead, the next selection goes very much in the opposite direction.
It's the stubby, non-tropical, deep-fried tater tot, which definitely does not grow
on trees.
Sonic's tots are bite-sized potato pieces deep fried to a crispy golden brown.
Depending on your location, you can score a mini order of tots in a crisp white cardboard
sleeve served for $1 or less.
And as a reminder, that order of tots will taste nothing like a fresh banana.
White Castle offers a number of its signature sliders for a dollar or less, including the
single original, cheese, and veggie.
But without a doubt, the crowning glory of the chain's $1-and-under offerings is the
jalapeño cheese slider, which is priced at 94 cents in most locations.
This feisty little guy features an all-beef patty and onions beneath a layer of jalapeño
cheese.
There may be no actual slices of jalapeños, but that single slice of jalapeño cheese
still delivers a decent kick.
Unfortunately, the jalapeño cheese slider isn't offered at all White Castle locations
and many states don't have even have a White Castle.
But fear not!
You can always order frozen White Castle sliders online.
And if you want the full White Castle experience, you can have your roommate dress up in a White
Castle uniform and serve them to you in a paper bag.
The miraculous fry-milkshake combo is a time-honored tradition that has been the muse for many
an Instagram post and listicle over the years.
The Wendy's chocolate Frosty, in particular, has long been a favorite receptacle for french
fries.
Thicker than a milkshake but more liquidy than ice cream, a Frosty can't be slurped
up through a straw but it can be scooped up with a fry.
Normally, you can get a small chocolate or vanilla Frosty for 99 cents.
However, Wendy's has been known to drop the price of Frostys to 50 cents during special
promotional periods.
If you happen to be alive during one of these magical spells, grab your change jar and run,
don't walk, to your local Wendy's.
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