Add another pair of competitors to the $5 meal deal battle that has been steadily growing all summer long.
Checkers and Rally’s, sister restaurant chains with nearly 800 locations throughout the U.S. (Checkers is largely found in the Southeast, while Rally’s is more Midwest-based), have announced a 5-for-$5 deal to lure in customers.
Hungry patrons will be able to choose from either a classic Cheese Double Burger or Spicy Chicken Sandwich, and pair that with an 8-piece Chicken Bites, a small order of seasoned fries, a 16-ounce soft drink and an apple pie dessert.
The deal will run through Sept. 11, the company says.
The Checkers/Rally’s announcement comes just a couple of weeks after White Castle announced it was rolling back its prices to a level not seen since 2011. Jimmy John’s also launched a meal deal in August, though that price point was $10, instead of the popular $5 mark most other chains have stuck to.
2024 has been the summer of slashed prices at fast food chains as companies work to win back customers who have grown frustrated with inflationary pressures at the drive-thru. This year has seen plenty of claims of “McFlation,” which followed reports of about $8 chicken sandwiches and $18 Big Mac meals. (McDonald’s CEO Joe Erlinger addressed that issue last month, issuing a public letter to counter what he called the “viral social posts and poorly sourced reports that McDonald’s has raised prices significantly beyond inflationary rates.” )
McDonald’s, since June, has offered a $5 meal at most locations nationwide and has extended the deal’s availability until at least the end of this month. Meanwhile, Wendy’s and Burger King, along with several other chains, have offered deals of their own.