Your favorite fast-food menu items may delight your taste buds, but those lunchtime excursions for fried chicken nuggets or midnight taco runs can leave you feeling blue about your budget. Many of the biggest fast-food franchises, such as Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, Burger King and McDonald’s, have experienced price hikes over the past few years.
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While the allure of cheap eat-on-the-go snack wraps or crispy chicken sandwiches has diminished with these increases, it’s still natural to have attachments to those succulent all-beef patties or nacho cheese-filled Taco Bell burritos. The good news is, budget-conscious shoppers don’t have to forsake fan-favorites — not when there are equally tasty alternative food items at some of the biggest names in the retail game.
Aldi vs. Fast Food
Regulars at the drive-thru at Chick-fil-A or Wendy’s might also be tempted by the Kirkwood breaded chicken breasts that, with a little mayo and a few pickles, can pass for their favorite chicken sandwiches. Whether your preference is fried, plant-based or grilled chicken, Aldi’s often has a cheaper option than popular fast-food items.
If you are looking to start your day with breakfast sandwiches from Dunkin’ Donuts, you can also find a more cost-effective alternative in the Aldi Breakfast Best sausage, egg and cheese croissant sandwiches. You can even pair your breakfast sandwich with delectable Season’s Choice hash browns that a former McDonald’s corporate chef claims are similar to the golden-brown snacks at the Golden Arches.
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Costco vs. Fast Food
Costco shoppers can enjoy Chick-fil-A-quality chicken nuggets any day of the week with the Just Bare lightly breaded chicken breast chunks, which come ready for the microwave, air fryer or oven. People who stop at 7-Eleven or their local takeout joint for chicken wings can find a flavorful facsimile in Foster Farms takeout crispy wings in buffalo or sweet-chipotle barbecue sauce.
Since Costco items sell in bulk, people who can’t imagine starting the day without Starbucks sous-vide egg bites don’t have to wait in long early morning drive-thru lines. Popping the Costco version in the air fryer gets these bites as delightfully browned and crunchy as the ones warmed up in the oven at your local Starbucks. It turns out your local coffee chain may have nothing in comparison to Kirkland Signature selections when it comes to your time or money.
Walmart vs. Fast Food
The aisles of your local Walmart can pack the same delicious options as any of your favorite takeout spots. The same former corporate chef for McDonald’s who anointed the Season’s Choice hash browns as a more-than-satisfactory substitute says that Walmart’s Great Value pork breakfast sausage patties are just as delicious as the early morning staple at Mickey D’s.
TikTok foodies also claim that the Walmart Great Value chicken dipping sauce rivals even Chick-fil-A’s or Raising Cane’s famous sauces. According to a Daily Dot piece compiling the best Walmart “dupes” of popular fast food, influencers say that the seasoned honey butter is akin to the celebrated butter of Texas Roadhouse; chicken taquitos are like the Taco Bell rolled chicken tacos; and packaged banana bread is as wonderful as the Starbucks brand.
Final Take To Go: Fast Food Isn’t as Financially Savvy as You Think
The bottom line is that a drive-thru can be a great option in a pinch, but if you are relying on it weekly to save money on food you may not be as budget-conscious as you think. This is not to say you shouldn’t treat yourself now and then to your fried favorites, but when it comes to saving money, the old adage of “you have food at home” rings true. Hit up your local retailers like Aldi, Costco or Walmart to stock up on the food items you crave.
Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Aldi, Costco and Walmart Items That Are Cheaper Than Your Fast-Food Faves
