McDonald's Dollar Menu: A Review

Eating at McDonald's is a treat for some people, but really unhealthy alternative when searching for fat free food. Yes they do carry salads and wraps that are actually pretty decent, but who really goes out of their way to get such healthy foods at a McDonald's? If I am looking to buy a chef salad or wrap I can usually think of about a half dozen or so eating establishments to visit, before McDonald's comes to mind. Whether looking for a salad or not, McDonalds does yield a pretty good menu when seeking out a once in a while treat or satisfying some guilty pleasures. The fast food choices include a high degree of guilt when it comes to health, but the guilt may go away when you look into your wallet and still see money left over after ordering these super cheap items.

The dollar menu was created not too long ago as way for our fast food friends to lure people into their stores with this unbelievably low price. Value meals seemed to be yesterday's news, thus the creation of the mighty dollar menu was born. Their trick worked as I have been lured by their $1.00 sandwiches and $1.00 Ice cream sundaes on my occasional trips home from the office. The top brass at McDonald's was smart to create a niche market of dollar items that seem to have triggered a repeat customer base. I think the success of this campaign is just not based on the economics, but the portion size. McDonald's is one of only a few fast food establishments that manage to sell small size desserts such as the sundae or cones which are just the right size for young children or adults looking for a "small" guilty pleasure. Other franchises such as Dairy Queen and Baskin Robbins simply do not offer these smaller sizes and prices. The dollar menu is pretty harmless to abuse if you order sensibly and keep fat content low. I will occasionally order the burger or chicken sandwich alone without the fries or fattening desserts to keep the fat levels from going off the charts.

The dollar menu is also ideal for the road traveler in pursuit of a quick bite with intentions of getting back on the road immediately. The selection of the dollar menu includes chicken sandwich, double burger, small fries, small drink, four piece nugget, small salad, two apple pies, and a small sundae. The traveler can get a decent quick bite if ordering a four piece nugget or chicken sandwich accompanied with a side salad and drink all for a grand total of three dollars plus tax. I would recommend working in that salad somewhere into the dollar menu diet since too much of the fat contained in most of these dollar selections will leave you slow and sluggish, not to mention give your heart a pummeling.