The bundles come as many limited-service chains struggle with traffic
Jimmy John’s, Hardee’s, and Taco John’s are the latest chains to offer value meals.
Sandwich concept Jimmy John’s is entering the fray with a large combo comprised of a sandwich, chips, dessert, and drink.
The limited-time $10 Total Package Meal debuted on Aug. 5 and includes an eight-inch Original sandwich of guest’s choice, a bag of Jimmy Chips potato chips, a cookie or brownie, and a regular sized drink.
Normally, sandwiches alone cost around $10 at the sandwich chain of around 2,600 locations, although combos, without dessert, were available for around $11.50 before the deal was introduced.
The combination is being marketed as a larger, more filling meal than most of the value menus available.
Quick-service concept Hardee’s, which operates and franchises some 1,600 restaurants, is reprising The Hardee’s Original Bag, which returned on Friday, for $5.99. It includes a choice of two entrées, such as a Hot Ham & Cheese sandwich, Double Cheeseburger, or Hand-Breaded Chicken Tender Wrap, plus a small fry and drink, both of which can be upgraded to a medium for an additional charge. The chain has offered similar deals in the past, most recently in 2017, according to a company spokesperson.
In some markets other Hardee’s favorites such as a Chili Dog and Regular Roast Beef Sandwich are being offered as options.
Taco John’s, a 350-unit quick-service chain based in Cheyenne, Wyo., also just added a digital-only $7 Meal Steal. It includes two tacos, a Nacho Crunch Beef Burrito, a small order of Potato Olés (the chain’s trademark hash browns), and a small drink. It mirrors Taco Bell’s $7 Luxe Box of a Chalupa Supreme, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Double Stacked Taco, chips with nacho cheese sauce, and a medium drink.
Those chains are competing with other value meals, including McDonald’s $5 Meal Deal of a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, small fries, four chicken McNuggets and a small soft drink; Burger King’s $5 Your Way Meal, similarly comprised of a sandwich (Whopper Jr., Chicken Jr., or Bacon Cheeseburger), nuggets, fries and a drink; and Jack in the Box’s Jack’s Munchies Under $4, which gives guests a choice of low-priced items including 99-cent tacos, three French Toast Sticks for $2.99, and a Junior Cheeseburger for $2.59
BK also has digitally-exclusive $5 breakfast bundles including a biscuit sandwich with orange juice, Croissan’wich with French Toast Sticks and hash browns, and a double Croissan’wich with coffee.
KFC has a variety of value deals, including a $4.99 meal for one (two pieces of dark-meat chicken, mashed potatoes and a biscuit), a meal for two for around $10 that’s basically double the meal for one, and a $20 family meal with six pieces of chicken, four sides, and four biscuits.
Jimmy John’s and Hardee’s are both owned by private companies controlled by private equity firm Roark Capital, so it’s unclear how they’re performing, but the other deals come in the face of waning traffic as consumers, especially low-income ones, pull back from eating out, apparently becoming skittish at rising prices.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]
