You need to try these cheapskate hacks in fast food restaurants to save money
McDonald’s Big Breakfast Meal and KFC's Cheese Fries.
PHOTO: Instagram/sharontansw and Instagram/friesnoisseur
PUBLISHED ONJune 30, 2021 4:58 AMByCherie Tan
How often do you visit a fast-food restaurant for a meal?
If you visit them quite regularly, I would recommend practising some of these hacks to help you save some money!
After all, eating at fast-food restaurants can get a bit pricey…
Fast food cheapskate hacks to save money
Fast food hack 1: McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin + Scrambled Egg = Big Breakfast Meal
Nothing beats the feeling of a McDonald’s Big Breakfast on Sunday mornings. This is probably the best breakfast in bed menu.
Instead of going for a Big Breakfast Meal at McDonald’s which will cost you $7.20, we have a quick hack that will save you some money.
Go for a do-it-yourself big breakfast meal, which is essentially the same items, just with all the ingredients separated.
Simply purchase a
- Sausage McMuffin Meal at $4.30
- Add on: Scrambled Egg at $2
Total cost: $6.30
Using this fast food hack, you will enjoy $0.90 savings when compared with a Big Breakfast Meal.
P.S. Ask the counter for a grape jam to make your Big Breakfast complete!
ALSO READ: Money-saving food hacks for the scrooge in you
Fast food hack 2: DIY KFC Cheese Fries
Everyone loves the cheese fries from KFC, but it costs you quite a bit to upgrade it.
Here’s a fast food hack at KFC that can help you save $0.70!
Instead of upgrading your meal with cheese fries which will cost you $2.20, change one of your sides to fries for free and add additional cheese for only $1.50 instead.
I swear by this hack. I do this all the time back in secondary school because I thought the $2.20 upgrade to cheese fries was a little too pricey.
Back then, it was only $1.70 to upgrade it and extra cheese used to be only $1 back then, shook!
The way to do it yourself:
- Change one of your sides to fries (free)
- Add extra cheese ($1.50)
You save $0.70 and you get more cheese too when compared to a $2.20 cheese fries upgrade on your meal.
Fast food hack 3: The price difference in your McDonald’s Value Meal upgrade
Did you know that the cost of making it a meal is different for each item on McDonald’s menu? This essentially means that the extra price you pay for getting a meal compared to that of an ala carte differs for each item on the menu.
- Cheapest meal upgrade: Buttermilk Crispy Chicken at $1.25
- Most expensive meal upgrade: Big Mac at $2.25
If you are ordering McNuggets to go with your Big Mac meal as an extra side, making your McNugget a meal and ordering Big Mac as an ala carte is cheaper.
Here’s a quick illustration of this McDonald’s hack:
| Option | Big Mac | McNugget (six pieces) | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.65 (Meal) | $5.10 (Ala carte) | $13.75 |
| 2 | $6.40 (Ala carte) | $6.85 (Meal) | $13.25 |
You will end up saving $0.50 from your order.
This works too if you are ordering for a group and one of you are ordering ala carte, with this hack, you can save a couple of bucks!
ALSO READ: Best value meals under $10 at fast food restaurants in Singapore
From the order of lowest price difference to highest:
| McDonald's | Ala carte | Meal (+ medium fries) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Mac | $6.40 | $8.65 | $2.25 |
| The Original Angus | $6.75 | $8.75 | $2.00 |
| McNugget (nine pcs) | $6.70 | $8.70 | $2.00 |
| Grilled Chicken McWrap | $6.30 | $8.25 | $1.95 |
| McChicken | $4.00 | $5.95 | $1.95 |
| Double McSpicy | $7.80 | $9.70 | $1.90 |
| Double Filet-O-Fish | $6.45 | $8.30 | $1.85 |
| McSpicy | $6.10 | $7.90 | $1.80 |
| McNugget (six pcs) | $5.10 | $6.85 | $1.75 |
| Double Cheeseburger | $5.20 | $6.95 | $1.75 |
| McWings | $5.25 | $6.95 | $1.70 |
| Filet-O-Fish | $5.00 | $6.55 | $1.55 |
| Buttermilk Crispy Chicken | $8.40 | $9.65 | $1.25 |
You can use the above table to find out the possible arbitrage in ala carte and meal pricing.
Fast food hack 4: Foot-long vs two six-inches Subs at Subway
Looking to grab some Subway sandwiches with your friend?
Instead of going for two six-inches subs, why not order a foot-long sub and cut it in half.
If you were to order two six-inches Cold Cut Trio, it will cost you $12.40.
Getting a foot-long will only cost you $10.50. With this method, you save $1.90.
We compiled the prices for Subway delivery to help you make smarter personal finance decisions.
Subway delivery menu and prices
| Ala carte sandwiches | Six inches | Foot-long | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulgogi Chicken | $7.50 | $12.10 | $4.60 |
| Breaded Chicken Cutlet | $7.90 | $12.80 | $4.90 |
| Chunky Beef Steak | $7.90 | $12.80 | $4.90 |
| Chicken Shroom Poloni | $6.20 | $10.50 | $4.30 |
| Veggie Deluxe | $6.70 | $11.00 | $4.30 |
| Italian B.M.T | $7.40 | $12.00 | $4.60 |
| Cold Cut Trio | $6.20 | $10.50 | $4.30 |
| Classic Tuna | $6.30 | $10.60 | $4.30 |
| Egg Mayo | $6.20 | $10.50 | $4.30 |
| Veggie Delight | $5.50 | $9.80 | $4.30 |
| Veggie Patty | $7.90 | $12.80 | $4.90 |
| Turkey | $6.50 | $10.80 | $4.30 |
| Roast Beef | $7.50 | $12.40 | $4.90 |
| Roasted Chicken Breast | $7.30 | $11.90 | $4.60 |
| Chicken Teriyaki | $7.30 | $11.90 | $4.60 |
| Turkey & Chicken Ham | $6.50 | $10.80 | $4.30 |
| Chicken Ham | $6.30 | $10.60 | $4.30 |
| Spicy Italian | $6.70 | $11.30 | $4.60 |
| Subway Club | $6.80 | $11.40 | $4.60 |
| Subway melt | $7.90 | $12.80 | $4.90 |
| Chicken & Chicken Bacon Ranch Melt | $7.90 | $12.80 | $4.90 |
| Meatball Marinara Melt | $7.40 | $12.00 | $4.60 |
Fast food hack 5: Free water!
Ask for water from the counter and they would gladly give you! Unless you really want that bottle of Dasani.
Do share with us if you know any other hacks that you do so on your own in the comments section. We’ll see you in the next one! Before we go, I shall leave you with this joke that cracked me up so bad.
ALSO READ: 3 ways to save money on fast food in Singapore
This article was first published in Seedly.