Apps before entrees.
When McDonald’s executives start complaining publicly about fast-food prices, you know things are getting messy.
But for every sensational, inflation-era shocker — stop us if you’ve heard the one about the $18 Big Mac meal or the vintage Taco Bell receipt that ruined the internet’s day — there’s a good deal waiting to be snagged.
And it’s already likely downloaded to the phone in your pocket.
That’s good news, because American french fry fiends appear to be getting awfully restless — according to a new survey of 2,000 people released by Lending Tree. 62% of us are more likely to forego fast food nowadays due to the expense, with 80% calling the once basic mainstay a luxury.
According to Lending Tree chief credit analyst Matt Schulz, free mobile ordering apps offered by big brands like McDonald’s are a must-have tool in the fight against inflation.
“Fast food mobile apps can be great for folks looking for deals,” Schulz told The Post. “Some won’t offer much more than the chance to order ahead, while others may offer in-app discounts, limited-time freebies, loyalty rewards and more.”
The deals and freebies can’t come fast enough, with a whopping 65% of us saying we’ve been shocked by the bill at a fast food joint during the last six months.
Shocked enough, apparently, that 56% said that it’s easier and cheaper to just cook at home now — with 46% saying that if when we do want to go out to eat, it might as well be a slightly nicer restaurant where prices are now roughly the same.
In Midtown Manhattan, where a combo meal at McDonald’s can now rival the cost of a bougie bowl meal at Sweetgreen, that definitely adds up.
App offerings can vary widely, Schulz said, so be on the lookout for things like birthday comps and discounts, BOGO coupons and various other perks.
“For example, I’ve earned multiple free sandwiches from Firehouse Subs by ordering regularly through their app. They also have a section on their in-app menu called Offers, where you can find deals that are only available online or in-app,” Schulz noted.
For the value-minded eater, there are two essential ones that will have you saving big money right from the start — and racking up piles of rewards as you go: McDonald’s and Burger King.
Open up the Golden Arches’ app, and you’ll find — varying by day and location, of course — a wealth of deep discounts, like $5 for 20 Chicken McNuggets (those can cost almost $10 at the counter, depending on where you are); two-for-one breakfast sandwiches, a savings of $5 or more in some markets; two-for-one Big Macs — no small thing when a Big Mac costs over $6, as it does in some NYC stores — and free fries on Fridays with a $1 purchase and much more.
The one major drawback of the McDonald’s system, though: there’s no mixing and matching of deals and rewards on an order.
Burger King can be even more generous, depending on when and where you are — in New York, where the decadent Bacon King costs more than $10, the easy-to-snag, $8.99 Bacon King and small fries combo deal saves you almost $5 without any strings attached.
Some apps are shy about the deals up front, preferring to shower you with reward points as you begin to spend with them — Chick-fil-A is a prime example, offering regular customers a rather impressive array of free stuff, from sandwiches to desserts.
However, all this generosity doesn’t come without something of a catch, Schulz noted — the chance to track your habits is invaluable to them.
“A company wants to know as much about you as they possibly can. The more they know, the better they can tailor their offerings to match what you are looking for. A mobile app can help them do that, even at an individual level, and that’s a big deal,” he explained.
But it’s not all about what they’re getting from you, the expert noted — cultivating loyalty does actually matter to these giant brands, believe it or not.
“Restaurants are okay with giving away freebies and discounts for the same reasons that credit card companies waive late fees and gyms give out logo T-shirts — it’s all about lifetime value,” Schulz explained.
“They’re perfectly happy to give you something for free if they know that doing so means you’re going to stick around longer and spend more money with them. That free six-inch sub is a small price to pay for the acquisition of a customer who might buy a few subs a year for the next 10 years. It’s a win for everyone.”
Still, as always, be careful where you spread your personal details, he warned.
“Anytime you’re putting your personal, private information in an app, you’re trusting that company to keep it safe, and we all know that that doesn’t always work,” he explained, suggesting to use a unique password for every app.
To highlight just how much you can save, The Post scanned five different fast food apps — using stores near our Midtown Manhattan offices, we found some surprisingly big deals.
Deal: Buy one Big Mac at $6.29, get one for $0.29
Menu price: $12.58
App price: $6.58
Savings: $6
Deal: Bacon King and Small Fries, $8.99
Menu price: $13.78
App price: $8.99
Savings: $4.79
Deal: 3-piece Tender combo with side, small drink and a biscuit
Menu price: $13.49
App price: $7.29
Savings: $6.20
Deal: Free 6-piece Nuggets with purchase every Wednesday
Menu price: $3.99
App price: $0
Savings: $3.99
Deal: 2 medium one-topping pizzas for $6.99 each
Menu price: $29.98
App price: $13.98
Savings: $13.98
