Value Meals Are Fast Food’s Summer Strategy. What’s the Long Game Amid Persistent Inflation?

KPS-Global banner ad

 

This summer, fast food chains are responding with a competitive push towards value meals in an effort to combat the rising cost of living and inflation, which has hit wallets worldwide. And $5 dollar value meals seem to be the magic answer. As families seek ways to stretch their budgets further, the fast food industry’s pivot to more budget-friendly options demonstrates a consequential shift in consumer demand and corporate strategy. This move is especially critical now, as the industry faces the dual challenge of maintaining customer loyalty while also managing heightened operational costs.

What does this fierce competition in the low-end market mean for the future of fast food? Are these value meals a temporary marketing gimmick, or are they signaling a long-term trend towards more affordable dining options?

On another episode of “Experts Talk,” host Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B, led a food and beverage roundtable regarding fast food competition at the low end. Experts guests who joined the discussion were Barbara Castiglia, Executive Editor at Modern Restaurant Management; Ben Coley, Editor at QSR Magazine; and Tarji Carter, Founder and CEO of The Franchise Player. We’ll explore the strategic shifts and marketing tactics reshaping the industry in response to consumer demand for better deals.

 

Key Points

  • How inflation-fatigued customers are driving fast food chains to promote value meals aggressively.
  • An analysis of current campaigns from major brands and their effectiveness in attracting consumers.
  • Speculation on whether these value deals will extend beyond the summer and how they might affect the industry long-term.

 

About the Experts

  • Barbara Castiglia: Barbara Castiglia is the Executive Editor of Modern Restaurant Management, where she has overseen all content development and management since October 2015. She also hosts the podcast “The Main Course” on MarketScale, focusing on B2B restaurant management insights. With a career spanning over two decades, Barbara has extensive experience in journalism, content creation, digital marketing, and consulting, including roles such as Northeast Bureau Chief for GlobeSt.com and Managing Editor for News12 Interactive.
  • Ben Coley: Ben Coley is the editor of QSR Magazine, where he covers a wide range of quick-service restaurant news, including growth, operations, and technology. He has a background in journalism, previously working for The Dispatch newspaper, Davidson Living Magazine, Goldsboro News-Argus, and The Daily Tar Heel, covering topics from county government to sports. Ben is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and has extensive experience in writing, editing, podcasting, and using digital tools to enhance storytelling.
  • Tarji Carter: Tarji Carter is the Founder and CEO of The Franchise Player, LLC. She has extensive experience in franchise development, having worked with notable brands such as Bojangles’, Wingstop, Dunkin’ Brands, and FOCUS Brands. Additionally, Tarji has held leadership positions in various companies, including Guest First Services, Inc., and has experience in business travel sales and executive assistance at Tyler Perry Studios.

Article by Alexandra Simon.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

digital learning ecosystem
Stride at 25: Redefining the Digital Learning Ecosystem for Today’s K–12 Learners
May 28, 2025

As virtual learning matures and school choice accelerates across the U.S.,the 25th anniversary of Stride Inc. offers a moment to reflect on how far the digital learning ecosystem has come and where it’s headed.. Once known as K12 Inc., the company helped pioneer online education at scale. But in a landscape shaped by evolving…

Read More
search
From Search (SEO) to Answers with Generative AI
May 27, 2025

In this episode of The Marketing AI SparkCast, Aby Varma—founder of Spark Novus, which partners with marketing leaders to adopt AI responsibly and strategically—hosts Mike Ensing, Founder and CEO of Revere AI. They explore how LLMs are revolutionizing search, shifting the customer journey, and forcing a new marketing playbook where brand discovery is increasingly…

Read More
Greener future in HVAC
Scale Smarter in HVAC: Balancing Growth with Employee Engagement
May 27, 2025

The HVAC industry is undergoing significant growth, driven by increased suburban migration and a surge in home renovations requiring system upgrades. The U.S. HVAC market is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% from 2025 to 2030. As businesses scale to meet this demand, balancing expansion with retaining strong…

Read More
educational choice
Educational Choice Isn’t Enough—Implementation Will Make or Break It
May 26, 2025

The U.S. education landscape is undergoing a seismic shift as more states adopt education savings accounts (ESAs), signaling a broader push toward personalized, parent-directed learning and broader educational choice. With over a dozen states now offering universal ESA programs, debates around school choice have reached a new level of urgency. Throughout 2024, enthusiasm for…

Read More