Categories: Deals & SavingsFood & RestaurantsShopping & Retail

This fast food ‘deal’ actually costs you more money

Alex Thomas Sadler | March 24th, 2017

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If you’re a fan of Clark Howard, you probably already know that the guy loves fast food. But there’s something else he loves even more — hacking the restaurants’ pricing systems!

Beware of fast food ‘deals’ that actually cost you more money

If you eat fast food, you’ve probably noticed all of the promotional deals that various chains try to get you to buy. But if you take a closer look at the unit prices, what it would cost to buy the items individually, you might find that the ‘deal’ is actually more expensive!

During Clark’s recent trip to Krystal, a fast food chain known for its small hamburger sliders, he ordered 5 single Krystal burgers.

Take a look at the photo above. See any prices listed besides $5? Nope — and there’s a reason for that.

At Krystal, an order of 5 single burgers costs $3.95 plus tax. When the cashier rang up Clark’s order as the ‘5 for 5’ deal, it came to $5.40.

When Clark told her he didn’t want the deal, she said, ‘yes you do, it’s cheaper!’ And you can probably guess the rest of the story: Clark pointed out that the deal was in fact not cheaper and he wanted to buy the 5 single items. The cashier’s response? ‘You’re right!’

The takeaway for you!

Every cent matters. So anytime you’re shopping for anything — online, at the grocery store, wherever — before you choose the ‘deal,’ make sure that what you’re getting is actually a good deal.

Always comparison shop at different stores, and even among different brands, by looking at the unit pricing — that will help you avoid overspending on things you can get for less!