Arby's Gets Into the Meal-Deal War

It's not quite the five roast beef sandwiches for $5 deal of yore (though that one did resurrect itself briefly in June), but inflation is real, thin-walleted Americans are sick of it, and the fast-food industry is trying very hard to capitalize on that. As Quartz reports, Arby's is now the latest fast-food joint to hop into the meal-deal war with its own offering, the "Shake Up Your Burger Meal."

• The deal: For nine bucks, consumers get a deluxe burger, medium fries (crinkle or curly), and a regular milkshake in the flavors of chocolate, jamocha, orange cream, or vanilla. The deal is on for an unspecified time.

• The competition: Taco Bell is temporarily offering up a $7 Luxe Cravings Box that features a Chalupa Supreme, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Double Stacked Taco, Chips With Nacho Cheese Sauce, and a medium drink. If you run for the border, you'll also find a $5 Taco Discovery Box and a value menu of 10 items for $3 or less. Sonic has announced a new and permanent $1.99 value menu (shakes are on it).
• Cheaper yet: McDonald's, in response to outcry that it was jacking up its prices, unveiled its summer $5 Meal Deal, which gets one a McDouble cheeseburger or a McChicken sandwich, small fries, four chicken nuggets, and a small soft drink.

(More Arby's stories.)