The good news is that there are still restaurants out there doing everything they can to save you money. Fast food chains, for example, have resurrected their value menus that used to dominate in the '80s and '90s. And believe it or not, similar kinds of cost savings can also be found at sit-down chains. At select few, you can even find meal deals priced at less than $10 a pop.
Fast food is getting expensive, and it's hard not to notice. What was once the go-to for quick, affordable meals has started to feel like a splurge. According to a Finance Buzz analysis, average fast food prices have jumped between 39% and 100% between 2014 and 2024 (inflation rose only 31% during that same period). Gone are the days of the true dollar menu.