Sonic is the latest fast-food company to enter the value meal market.
Drive-in chains are following suit with various rivals in ramping up specials to lure inflation-weary customers back to their stores, a strategy that promises to cater for “every taste and budget.”
The new “Fun.99 Menu” allows Sonic customers to enjoy a variety of menu items for $1.99, including a quarter-pound double cheeseburger, chili cheese coney hot dog, small tots, a 16-ounce Sonic shake in 12 different flavors, and two new items: the Bacon Ranch Queso Wrap and the Southwest Crunch Queso Wrap.
And unlike competitors who offer temporary deals, Sonic says its deals are permanent.
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Sonic’s chief marketing officer, Ryan Dickerson, said the brand chose the $1.99 menu because “we wanted to do something different” while competitors were using “limited options and tired ideas.” A focus on variety helped them achieve that, he said.
The new trend of value-driven fast-food promotions really took off last month, when McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Jack in the Box, Starbucks and Burger King all introduced similar offers to their menus.
Taco Bell’s limited-time $7 value box contains five items, counting chips and nacho cheese as one, while McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King’s limited-time $5 value menus each contain four items.
Meanwhile, Starbucks’ new pairing menu offers drink and food combos starting at $5, and Jack in the Box’s new value menu offers a variety of items for $4 each.
The rise in value deals comes as the fast-food industry faces slowing customer traffic due to rising menu costs and reduced flexible spending budgets.
Consumers are visiting restaurants less frequently than they used to, with about 40% of respondents saying they are cutting back on their spending, according to a recent report from consulting firm Revenue Management Solutions.
