Combo meals sound like they should save you money. After all, the restaurant bundles the sandwich, fries and drink together, so surely that costs less than ordering everything separately, right? Not necessarily—especially now that fast-food chains are competing with $5 meal deals, value menus, app discounts and build-your-own boxes. We checked the current offers at six major chains and compared what you’d pay for a traditional meal with the lower-priced bundles restaurants are actively promoting. Prices vary by location, but the math reveals something important: the regular combo isn’t always the cheapest way to get lunch.
