Here's The Absolute Cheapest Fast Food In The US

It's no secret that fast food prices in the U.S. have gotten out of control. Consumers are frustrated with many people pointing out that ordering fast food costs as much as a sit-down restaurant. As a result, customers are fighting back with their wallets, with places like McDonald's and Starbucks seeing reduced sales while consumers rank value over convenience.

Fast food prices are at a historic high, and the data backs this up. The Consumer Price Index shows that fast food costs have risen 4.3% over the past year and 47% over the last decade. With prices so high, many people skip out on fast food altogether. When they do go out, they often try to find the best deals. This isn't always easy, as location can impact prices, as well as whether a restaurant is franchised or corporate-owned. With this in mind, we've dug into the data to find the cheapest fast food in the U.S.

In many parts of the country, Burger King is McDonald's biggest competitor, as it sells many similar menu items. The chain was founded in 1954, and today, it has over 6,000 restaurants worldwide. While that's less than half of the locations McDonald's has, plenty of people find Burger King to be far superior to McDonald's, and the chain made $11 billion last year.

Typically, a basic hamburger at Burger King costs between $1.99-$2.79 depending on location. These burgers are simple, with a flame-grilled beef patty, pickles, mustard, and ketchup. Wendy's has similar pricing, but more locations err on the higher side. As for McDonald's, it's close, but not quite the same with burgers ranging from $2.29-$2.99.

Not all burgers at Burger King are cheap, however. The Texas Double Whopper, with a half pound of beef and plenty of toppings, will cost you around $10. The Whopper Jr., meanwhile, can range in price from about $3.99-$6.50. Burger King is also unique in that it offers the Impossible Whopper, a burger made with a plant-based patty. This burger costs between $7.50-$8.99, but most fast food places don't offer a plant-based option at all.

Burger King wins again for chicken nuggets, but the average price of chicken nuggets is a little harder to calculate. At Burger King, the largest number of chicken nuggets you can order at a time is 16. This works out to between $0.31-$0.48 cents per nugget depending on your location. The price per nugget doesn't generally change much if you order a smaller amount.

At Wendy's, the most you can order at a time is 10. This works out to between $0.50-$0.64 cents per nugget, and the price per nugget can increase by several cents if you order a smaller number. However, that's nothing compared to McDonald's. The largest number of nuggets you can order at McDonald's is 40, and that works out to a slightly better deal than Burger Kin (between $0.30-$0.47 cents per nugget). However, the price increases drastically when you order a more normal amount. This means if you're ordering in bulk, you should go to McDonald's, but if you're just looking for lunch, stick with BK.

Burger King also offers chicken fries, essentially long chicken nuggets sort of shaped like fries. These cost anywhere from $0.42-$0.68 cents per chicken fry, with the cost of the fiery chicken fries being the same. While a fun spin on breaded, fried chicken is nothing new, no other restaurant serves chicken quite in this format, and customers seem to really enjoy them.

Jack in the Box is known primarily for standard fast-food items and a quirky advertising campaign. The California-based chain has locations in 22 states, most of them on the West Coast. Many locations are open 24 hours, and those that aren't are still stay open past midnight. The chain offers standard items like burgers and chicken, but also branches out with items like salads and tacos.

If you're looking for tacos on a budget, Jack in the Box is the place to go. They offer two crunchy tacos for $0.99, which comes with American cheese and shredded lettuce on top of ground beef served in the chain's signature taco sauce. This blows its competitors out of the water; Del Taco, for example, offers one "Snack Taco" for just over a dollar. The least expensive taco at Taco Bell is the Spicy Soft Potato Taco, which ranges from about $1.59-$1.79 for a single taco, and the least expensive at Taco John's is the Softshell Taco, which varies from about $1.99-$2.29 for a single taco.

In addition to two full-sized tacos for $0.99, Jack in the Box also offers two baskets of tiny tacos. These crunchy, bite-sized tacos come in "classic" and "sauced and loaded" options. The classic tiny tacos range from about $3.50-$4.00, while the sauced and loaded range from about $4.50-$5.00.

Reappearing once again, Burger King wins for the least expensive chicken sandwich. Its Chicken Jr. is simple, a chicken patty with lettuce and mayo on the chain's signature sesame seed bun. Depending on what location you visit, you can usually find this sandwich for anywhere between $2.49-$3.69.

At McDonalds, the McChicken usually ranges from $2.59-$2.69. As a result, depending on where you are, you may find that McDonald's has a better price on a chicken sandwich than Burger King. Wendy's, meanwhile, has a Crispy Chicken Sandwich that ranges from $2.49-$3.29. So again, depending on your location, Wendy's may be a better deal. You're not going to have better luck at chicken-specific restaurants either; Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwich will cost you at least $5.00.

In addition to the Chicken Jr., Burger King offers a similar but larger Original Chicken Sandwich that's priced from about $5.99-$7.79. Other options include the Bacon and Swiss Royal Crispy Chicken and the Fiery Bacon Royal Crispy Chicken, both of which will run you between $6.99-$8.79.

While Taco John's may not have had the cheapest tacos, they surprisingly offer the cheapest coffee. The chain, primarily known for its fan-favorite Potato Olés, has locations in 27 states. It offers tacos and burritos, like its much larger competitor, Taco Bell, but also offers some pretty inexpensive coffee.

A basic black coffee at Taco Johns ranges from $0.99-$1.49 depending on where you are. Meanwhile, a black coffee at McDonalds will run you between $1.59-$1.79. At Wendy's, $1.69-$2.29 is normal, while at Burger King, you could spend anywhere from $1.00-$2.89 depending on where you are.

It's worth noting, that, unlike many competitors, Taco John's doesn't offer any other coffee options. Mcdonald's offers iced coffee and frappes, and Burker King and Wendy's both offer iced coffee drinks. Taco John's doesn't appear to offer a decaf option either, so if it's getting late, you may want to get your coffee elsewhere.

Wendy's is one of the largest fast-food restaurants in the country, with over 6,000 locations across the world. It's a restaurant that's usually put in the same category as McDonald's and Burger King thanks to a menu featuring burgers, chicken, and fries. Furthermore, fries are a big hit at Wendy's, with many considering them to be some of the best fast food fries available. Not only are they tasty, but they're also some of the cheapest around.

At Wendy's, a small fry will cost anywhere from about $1.99-$2.39. At McDonald's, you can expect the price of a small fry to start around $2.49 and go up to over $3.00. Burger King, meanwhile, usually starts around $2.99 and can go up to $3.79, while Jack in the Box is usually around $2.99 as well. Of course, the price depends on location, but in general, Wendy's is cheaper across the board.

Wendy's also offers a variety of other fry options. Its cheese fries range in price from about $2.99-$4.19. The chain's chili cheese fries, fries topped with shredded cheddar cheese, chili, and cheddar cheese sauce, will cost you between $3.79-$4.69. The chain also prices its Baconator fries the same way; these fries come topped with cheddar cheese sauce, shredded cheddar, and applewood smoked bacon.

Salad isn't as common a menu item at fast food restaurants as things like burgers and fries. It makes sense in that fast food is generally not thought of as being very healthy — you're probably not going to swing through the drive-through if you want a salad. As a result, salads tend to flop at fast food chains. However, a few places to offer salads to those who want a convenient and somewhat healthy option, and out of those, you'll find the cheapest salads at Jack in the Box.

Jack in the Box has a few salad options, with prices starting between $6.99-$7.69. Wendy's also offers salads, but its prices range from $8.49-$9.19. Dairy Queen offers salad at its restaurants with its full food menu, but these will cost you between $7.49-$8.99.

You'll find a few different salad options at Jack in the Box. They offer a Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken, which also includes grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, shredded cheddar, croutons, and Jack's Famous Buttermilk Dressing. The same ingredients are featured in the Garden Salad with Crispy Chicken, although the chicken is prepared differently. The Southwest Salad is available for about $0.30 cents more and includes crunch tortilla strips with Southwest dressing, as well as your choice of grilled or crispy chicken.

Like salads, hot dogs are another thing that you're not going to find at every fast food restaurant. You will find them at Sonic, the chain known for its vintage vibe and fun, frozen drinks. There are over 3,500 Sonic locations, and because most are franchised, the restaurants offer both a standardized menu and a selection of local options. Hot dogs are available at most locations.

Both the All-American Dog and the Chili Cheese Coney are around $3.99. That's about the same as a regular hot dog at Dairy Queen, but the difference is what comes on the hot dogs. Sonic's All-American Dog comes loaded with ketchup, mustard, relish, and diced onions, while DQ's Classic Hot Dog just comes with your choice of sauce. The Chili Cheese Dog at Dairy Queen is also $0.50 cents more, as opposed to being the same price at Sonic. At both restaurants, these hot dogs are topped with chili and cheddar cheese.

Sonic also offers a Footlong Quarter Pound Coney, essentially a foot-long version of the Chili Cheese Coney. This one has more of a range in price, from about $5.59-$6.29. Its corndogs also range in price, from about $2.39-$2.59. Depending on your location, you may have other hot dog options as well. For example, some restaurants offer the New York Dog, topped with sauerkraut, mustard, and grilled onions; and the Chicago Dog, topped with hand-sliced tomatoes, relish, peppers, diced onions, mustard, and pickle.

Shakes are a pretty standard menu option at most fast-food places. There's something unabashedly American about a meal of a burger, fries, and shake, but even places that don't offer burgers, like Chick-fil-A, have shakes. If you want a cheap but still sweet shake, your best bet is going to be Jack in the Box.

Jack in the Box offers a variety of shakes, with the basic flavors (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry) ranging in price from $3.99-$4.29 for a regular size depending on location. Meanwhile, a medium-sized shake at McDonald's tends to start at a price of $4.29. Burger King's shakes range from $4.19-$5.19, but its Oreo shakes can sometimes cost more. At Sonic, you can expect a medium shake to range from around $5.29-$5.89, but one of its Master Shakes will cost extra.

Most Jack in the Box locations offer the basic shake flavors, but some offer more. Oreo shakes are a common offering, and other flavors you can find include chocolate Oreo, Pineapple Express, and vanilla with boba. Shakes are the only type of frozen dessert Jack in the Box currently offers, but they also have treats like mini churros, New York-style cheesecake, and chocolate lava cake to appease your sweet tooth.

McDonald's makes its first appearance on this list with the cheapest soft-serve ice cream. Despite being a popular treat, several restaurants that offer other frozen items — Jack in the Box and Wendy's, for example, don't offer basic ice cream cones or cups.

At McDonald's, regular-sized cones vary in price from about $1.49-$1.89. Some Chick-fil-A locations also offer cones for $1.89, but others go up to $2.39. Meanwhile, at Burger King, you can get a cup and a cone of soft serve for $1.99 at most locations. Some Sonic locations also offer a cup of ice cream for $1.99, but others charge more. Dairy Queen, the "queen" of ice cream fast food, can charge anywhere from $2.99-$4.19 for a small cone.

Keep in mind that most McDonald's locations only offer vanilla ice cream, although some locations may offer chocolate. This isn't out of the ordinary, as Sonic and Chick-fil-A only offer vanilla, and Burger King's ice cream is a chocolate vanilla swirl. Dairy Queen is the only one that reliably offers both chocolate and vanilla, and you may need to go there anyway since McDonald's ice cream machines always seem to be broken.

If you've got kids, you're probably not making it out of a fast food restaurant without a kids' meal. Sometimes, these meals are truly a good deal; other times, they're just a more expensive way to order food — but hey, they usually come with a toy! If you're looking for a kids' meal at a decent price, McDonald's is likely going to be your best option.

The McDonald's hamburger Happy Meal is its cheapest kids' meal option, from about $4.19-$4.99. However, the Hamburger King Jr. meal at Burger King is $4.49 at most locations, and Wendy's kids' hamburger meal can range from $4.29-$4.89. Depending on your location, these other options may be cheaper. Likewise, Jack in the Box hamburger combos range from $4.69-$4.99, while Sonic's hamburger Wacky Packs are usually over $5.

McDonald's hamburger Happy Meals come with a burger with ketchup, mustard, onions, and pickles, and you can add cheese for a few extra cents if you want a cheeseburger. They also include fries, apple slices, a drink, and of course, a toy. The chain offers a four-piece and a six-piece chicken nugget Happy Meal, which comes with the same sides, as well as a packet of dipping sauce.

McDonald's finishes strong with the cheapest breakfast sandwich option. While the chain offers a ton of breakfast options, the cheapest is the sausage biscuit, a breakfast biscuit with a round sausage patty. This can range in price from about $1.69-$2.39. However, Burger King's sausage biscuit, a nearly identical menu item, is usually $1.99 regardless of location, so which is cheaper will depend on location.

Chick-fil-A also offers breakfast sandwiches; its cheapest is the chicken biscuit, which is usually about $3.79. You can find breakfast at Sonic as well. It offers two breakfast sandwiches nationwide: the Bacon Breakfast Toaster and the Sausage Breakfast Toaster. Both have meat, cheese, and folded egg between two slices of Texas toast and will run you between $4.49-$5.69. If you're in the mood for breakfast a little later in the day, Jack in the Box offers all-day breakfast. Its cheapest breakfast sandwich is the Breakfast Jack, with ham, egg, and cheddar on a toasted bun, and it runs between $2.89-$2.99.

McDonald's offers a variety of other breakfast sandwich options if you're willing to up your price point. It has multiple combinations of egg, cheese, and your choice of steak, bacon, egg, and sausage on bagels, biscuits, and muffins. Can't make it in time for breakfast? Try recreating McDonald's breakfast sauce at home.

Figuring out the cheapest fast food in the U.S. wasn't particularly easy. Prices vary wildly in different areas, and many chains are franchised. Franchising means that the location is run by an owner who partners with the corporation — but is not the corporation itself — and these owners set the prices. As a result, you could have two locations in the same city with different prices.

To calculate the cheapest fast food, I looked at the prices from a number of major fast food chains. Unfortunately, some chains didn't post prices online, so I couldn't include them. I looked at the pricing in some of the highest-cost-of-living cities as of writing, like L.A. and Miami, and some of the lowest-cost-of-living major cities, like Green Bay and Wichita. From there, I listed the cheapest options by menu option, but as you'll notice, different chains sometimes overlap in price depending on location.