Wendy's has a $5 menu and 3occasionally offers breakfast deals for just $3. Burger King is 4following suit with the return of its $5 "Your Way Meal", though it's not available just yet. Chicken chain KFC is 5touting its Taste of KFC Deals as a "value menu with real value" starting at $4.99. 

Meanwhile, the Golden Arches CEO wrote in a spring 6quarterly report, "As consumers are more 7discriminating with every dollar that they spend, we will continue to earn their visits by delivering 8leading, 9reliable, everyday value." 

But why the sudden push and can it work to inspire consumers to drive thru? 

"Value is much more 10top of mind for that American consumer today than it has been in previous years. The American restaurant community has obviously 11stepped up those value offerings to meet the consumers that are 12tighter with their purse strings now." 

The pressure for 13affordability comes as consumers 14baulk at higher menu prices while 15pulling back spending after several years of high inflation. 

"Both labor costs and food costs for the industry have 16exponentiated over the past four years. So as a result of that, the baseline menu price for a lot of food and beverage items is higher."