Burger King fires latest shot in fast food wars as it launches 5-item meal for $4: New Year 'bun
By MYRIAH TOWNER and ANNETA KONSTANTINIDES FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and ASSOCIATED PRESS
Burger King has fired the latest shot in the fast food cheap deal wars as it launches a '5 for $4' meal.
The chain's new promotion includes a bacon cheeseburger, small french fries, small drink, a four-count chicken nuggets and a chocolate chip cookie.
The deal's unveiling comes as fast food chains including McDonald's and Wendy's have also offered new 'bundled offers' to win over deal seekers.
Burger King has fired the latest shot in the fast food cheap deal wars as it launches a '5 for $4' meal
Burger King's new promotion includes a bacon cheeseburger, small french fries, small drink, a four-count chicken nuggets and a chocolate chip cookie (a photo of the meal pictured at a Burger King in New York)
The fast-food price fight also shows how quickly a popular idea gets copied in the fast-food industry.
The latest trend on the value front popped up in October 2015 after Wendy's rolled out a 4 for $4 deal, which includes a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, small fries and a small drink.
Burger King today began selling its '5 for $4' deal, according to USA Today, a day after McDonald's introduced the 'McPick 2' for $2 deal.
There are only four items in the McPick menu, a McDouble, McChicken, mozzarella sticks, and small fries and customers pick two for $2.
'People look at what other folks are doing, and if they think they're getting traction, they say we need to do a version of that,' said Tony Pace, former chief marketing officer at Subway who now runs a marketing consulting firm.
Though typically not big profit generators, promotional deals can steer people in the door who might not have stopped in otherwise.
On Monday, McDonald's introduced the McPick 2 Menu featuring a McDouble, McChicken, mozzarella sticks, and small fries that customers can pick two for $2
McDonald's 'McPick 2' is a narrow variation on the franchise's now-defunct dollar menu, offering a choice of two from a four-item menu for only a combined $2 (above a McPick 2 meal is shown at a McDonald's in New York on Monday)
And chains do their best to make sure regulars stick to the pricier meals they usually order.
At a New York City McDonald's, an employee said she was told not to suggest the $2-for-2 deal, but wait for people to order it on their own.
The additional food tacked onto those bundled orders helps drive up sales as well.
That's what happened when Burger King tested its 5 for $4 deal in recent months, said Alex Macedo, who heads the chain's North America business.
'We believe it's going to be very profitable for franchisees,' Macedo said in a phone interview.
The new deals come after fast-food chains struggled to raise prices on value menus without scaring off customers, even as commodity costs rise.
McDonald's shifted from its hugely popular Dollar Menu to a 'Dollar Menu and More' that featured a range of prices.
Steve Easterbrook, who took over as CEO this past March, conceded the company's failure to come up with an adequate replacement for the Dollar Menu has hurt sales.
In October Wendy's unveiled a value menu that doubles McDonald's promotion, offering a junior bacon cheeseburger, four chicken nuggets, small fries and a drink for $4
The company has said deal seekers still make up about 15 per cent of the industry.
For now, McDonald's said the 'McPick 2 for $2' will run for five weeks, and that the details of the McPick offer will evolve over time.
Burger King and Wendy's haven't said when their limited-time offers will end.
Fast food burger chains are not the only ones vying for the attention of customers looking for a deal.
On Monday, Pizza Hut joined the food war, unveiling a $5 Flavor menu, which offers seven items that include a medium pizza, pasta, and eight boneless wings for only five dollars each when you order two or more.
Also on the value menu are a double order of breadsticks or flavor sticks, four Pepsi drinks, brownies and a chocolate chip cookie pizza.
Not to be left behind, Papa John's is offering an even bigger slash in price for the slice.
The pizza chain has revealed a new deal that will give customers a large one-topping pizza for 50 cents when they buy the first for regular price.
On Monday, Pizza Hut unveiled the $5 Flavor menu, which offers seven items that include a medium pizza, pasta, and eight boneless wings for only five dollars each when you order two or more
Not to be left behind, Papa John's is offering an even bigger slash in price for the slice, revealing a new deal that will give customers a large one-topping pizza for 50 cents when they buy the first for regular price
Pizza Hut has advertised that the deal is available for a 'limited time only' and the Papa John's promotion only lasts until the end of the month, a fact that doesn't impress Domino's.
That's because Domino's has been offering an almost identical value menu - complete with pastas, cheesy bread and eight-piece wings - for $5.99 since 2010.
'We don't play the price or product-of-the month gimmick game others seem to,' spokesman Tim McIntyre told CNN Money.
'The limited-time-only tactic is something we left behind years ago.'
Jeff Fox, Pizza Hut's Chief Brand Concept Officer, is hoping the $5 Flavor menu will inspire customers to begin purchasing a 'complete meal'.
'Most consumers have tried some of our items,' he told Business Insider. 'But they haven't tried them all in combination.'
Our wallets are the true winner of the fast food wars, but our waistlines might feel otherwise.
Read more:
Pizza war! Pizza Hut and Papa John's slash prices - Jan. 4, 2016
Pizza Hut debuts $5 value menu - Business Insider
Burger King heats up the fast food cheap deal war with McDonald's, Wendy's
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