So long, dollar menu, and hello, meal deal. Restaurant chains are rethinking their rock-bottom deals this year to get a higher ticket, slashing the price of a sizeable meal rather than hawking individual items at near-giveaway levels.
Pizza Hut customers won’t even get the discount unless they order at least two items off the chain’s new $5 menu. Spend $10 for a pie and sodas for four, instead of paying $6.99 for just the pizza (albeit two pies). No meal, no deal.
With each option on the separate roster priced at $5, Pizza Hut is at the high end of the bundled bargaining. For that kind of money, Burger King and McDonald’s are promising multi-course lunches and dinners—with change left over.
Here’s a quick rundown of what discounting looks so far in 2016.