Dunkin’ rolls out $6 breakfast value meal as desperate, fast food price war heats up
Dunkin’ is betting that America runs on value meals.
The coffee and doughnut chain has joined other quick service food providers such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks and Taco Bell in rolling out a cheaper option for the cost-conscious shopper.
The $6 breakfast meal deal, which is available for a limited time only, offers a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich and hash browns along with a medium coffee.
The chain will also offer a pumpkin spice signature latte as well as almond spice coffee and a pumpkin muffin as part of the promo, according to a press release.
Dunkin’, a subsidiary of Inspire Brands, operates more than 13,700 locations globally.
The fast food industry, which normally caters to low- and middle-income diners, has sought to navigate rough economic terrain in recent years as inflation has taken a toll on companies’ bottom lines.
Starbucks, Dunkin’s rival, recently introduced its “Pairings Menu” combining a drink and a breakfast item for a discounted sum of between $5 and $6.
Dunkin’s sister chain, Sonic Drive-In, rolled out its own value deal earlier this summer — a “Fun.99” menu that offers diners a burger, snack, dessert and a drink for $1.99 each.
In June, McDonald’s, which sparked social media outrage after customers noted that some locations were charging as much as $18 for a Big Mac meal, introduced a $5 meal deal that proved effective in luring back customers who stayed away as food prices soared.
The discounted offering from McDonald’s includes a McDouble or McChicken, a four-piece nugget, a small fry and a small fountain beverage.
The fast-food giant also debuted Free Fries Friday – a free medium fry with $1 minimum purchase for app users. The deal lasts through the end of the year.
Fast food rivals Burger King and Taco Bell followed suit. Burger King announced its own $5 value meal while Taco Bell launched a $7 “Luxe Cravings Box.”
Inspire Brands, whose portfolio of businesses includes Dunkin’, Sonic Drive-In, Arby’s and Jimmy John’s, is a privately held company.
In February, Bloomberg News reported that private equity firm Roark Capital was discussing a possible initial public offering of Inspire Brands which could value the company at around $20 billion.
Subway, a Roark subsidiary, recently brought its back its footlong sandwich deal — though at a discounted price of $6.99 rather than the traditional $5 price tag.
But a significant number of the company’s franchisees were unhappy about the promotion — fearing that it will further cut into its dwindling profits, The Post was the first to report.
