There was a time when fast food did two things: got us food quickly and offered affordable prices. But the memory of cheap fast food is quickly fading and in today’s world we’re left with meals that cost an arm and a leg. Don’t believe us? Here are some costly fast food items that aren’t worth the price tag. 

1. Pizza Hut Wings

You’ll have to shell out for wings from just about anywhere these days, but Pizza Hut’s price tag is particularly egregious. 36 wings cost a hair-raising $58.99 while a smaller size, like 18 wings, still runs you $30.99. 

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2. KFC Family Meal

We hope you don’t have a big family. KFC’s family meal has always been a little pricey, but today’s totals are hardly worth it anymore. A 12-piece bucket with three large sides and six biscuits is almost $50.00 whereas 16 pieces tips over $60.00.

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3. Chipotle’s High Protein Bowl

The protein bowl has some good stuff in it: double chicken, beans, white rice, romaine lettuce (among other things)—we’re just not crazy about the price. This bowl costs $20.55 and while you get a good helping, you could also whip up something at home with a lot of the same ingredients.

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4. Domino’s Large Pizza

At this point, expensive pizza is par for the course. But if you’re itching to grab a large pepperoni pizza from Domino’s, you’ll have to cough up $18.99. 

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5. Dunkin Donuts Iced Latte

With summer fast approaching consumers everywhere are turning to iced coffee—or some form of it. A regular cup of joe from Dunkin is costly on its own but a medium iced coffee is more than $6.00 and that’s enough to encourage a homebrew.

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6. Starbucks Cake Pop

Have you ever seen the size of a cake pop? Sure, they’re delicious, but at $4.55 a piece it’s a steep price to pay for a mouthful of cake.

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7. Chick-fil-A Sandwich Meal

Just about any sandwich meal from Chick-fil-A will cost close to $20. However, we’re mainly eyeing the grilled chicken sandwich meal as it’s $18.45 with waffle fries. Try and upgrade to a different side and you’ll wind up spending even more.

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8. Wendy’s Salads

No one’s really turning to fast food places for a salad. But on the off chance you are, Wendy’s isn’t your cheapest option. Of their available salads, you’re looking at a $10.61 price tag—a cost you can avoid by just making one at home.

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9. McDonald’s 6-Piece Nugget Meal

Depending on where you order from, the prices are a head-scratcher. A six-piece nugget meal costs roughly $9.00 whereas a 10-piece (no combo) is several dollars less. Even stranger is that 20 nuggets on their own can run you a similar cost to the 6-piece combo, which makes us wonder what’s a better bang for our buck.

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10. Starbucks Cappuccino

Ah, the culprit of crying wallets everywhere. A short cappuccino or caffe latte is $6.15 right out of the gate, but upgrading to a venti is another $0.80 and some sweeteners tack on an extra $0.95.

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11. Taco Bell Cheese Gordita Crunch

We know there are more expensive items on the menu, but we’re focused on the size-to-cost ratio. One little taco runs $6.33, a hefty cost for a meal that probably won’t fill your belly very much. Not to mention, their value menu has similar items for a fraction of the price.

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12. Burger King Bacon King Meal

Burger King has always had moderately priced items on their menu, and for that we thank them. But the Bacon King meal is one to skip past, not only because it’s $17.29 but also because the caloric intake is 1,480 calories at best. 

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13. Five Guys Little Fries

It almost feels like no Five Guys burger or dog is complete without their classic fries. That said, the price tag of their smallest fry size is $7.07 and while they took liberties with the definition of "little," the cost is still a bit steep. 

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14. Dunkin Donuts Dozen Donuts

Heaven forbid you have a work conference coming up because a dozen donuts from this popular chain costs just over $20.00. Though, even if you spring for half a dozen, you’re still looking at $13.73.

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15. Sonic SuperSonic Bacon Double Cheeseburger

Bacon is great…and cheese…and burgers, but the $10.85 price tag of Sonic’s bacon double cheeseburger is a bit of a turnoff. Splurging every so often isn’t the end of the world, but we wouldn’t make a habit of it.

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16. Shake Shack Grilled Cheese

It’s hard to justify spending $6.39 on a grilled cheese sandwich from Shake Shack, especially when it costs less for their hot dog or a few more bucks for a burger. Even if you’re trying to avoid meat, packing a lunch looks a whole lot better.

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17. Popeyes Five Piece Tender Combo

We hope you aren’t hungry the next time you walk into Popeyes because their five-piece tender combo costs $18.99. With cheaper menu items so readily available, this is a quick pass.

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18. Wendy’s Pretzel Baconator

On the bright side, you can’t call the Baconator small, but we can call it expensive (and calorie-heavy). The sandwich on its own costs $12.86 and brings over 1,000 calories to the table, so it’s probably best to ditch this option.

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19. McDonald’s 6-Piece Nugget Happy Meal

The 6-piece combo is at again, except it’s after kids’ prices this time. A 6-piece nugget happy meal runs parents anywhere between $7.00-$8.00, a comparable cost to the adult’s size with even smaller portions. 

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20. Arby’s Half Pound Beef ‘N Cheddar

It’s probably not a good idea to eat the half-pound beef ‘n cheddar anyway, but if the caloric intake hasn’t scared you away, maybe the cost will. One sandwich with no sides or drink is roughly $9, which is a lot to ask for for one item. 

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