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Checkers & Rally’s is leaning into value as Americans remain squeezed by higher everyday expenses, and the fast-food chain’s CEO says consumers’ demand for affordability has intensified over the past couple of years.
The chain is offering a $4 Unbeatable Meal Deal, priced at $5 in select markets, as restaurants compete for increasingly price-conscious customers. Checkers & Rally’s CEO Chris Tebben said the company has seen firsthand how strongly consumers respond when prices come down.
Checkers & Rally’s first launched a $4 version of the meal deal around May 2025, and Tebben said the company saw an improvement in transaction trends after its introduction.
“I think it was around the May timeframe in ’25 and certainly saw the consumer respond, and the trend in our transaction was much improved,” Tebben told FOX Business.
The response comes as consumers continue to grapple with higher costs for everyday necessities, putting pressure on restaurants to convince customers that eating out is worth the expense.
“I think we’ve seen over the last couple of years the need for value continues to intensify and, let’s face it, consumers are continuing to feel the pressures of a lot of everyday necessities. And I think that’s why affordability plays such an important role when they choose to spend some of that money for an away from home occasion,” Tebben said.
Restaurant prices have continued to rise, adding to the cost pressures facing consumers. Prices for food away from home have climbed over the past year, including at limited-service restaurants such as fast-food chains.
The pressure on consumers presents a difficult equation for restaurant operators, which have faced their own rising expenses while trying to keep menu prices attractive.
“Certainly what we’re trying to do with value. Value has always been at the heart of our brand. And, so, it’s certainly more difficult in today’s economic environment in terms of inflation and food costs to make that equation work,” Tebben said.
Tebben said Checkers & Rally’s has worked to improve its core food costs, giving the company more room to invest in value offerings while still making the economics work for the company and its franchisees.
“We’re certainly trying to drive more than our fair share of consumer occasions with the value offering. And then we’re always mindful of that balance to have to make sure that it works economically for both us and the terrific group of franchisees that we have,” he said.
The balancing act is playing out across the restaurant industry as major chains compete for consumers looking for more food for less money.
McDonald’s has leaned into its McValue platform and meal deals, while Wendy’s has promoted its own lineup of Biggie Deals as restaurant chains try to appeal to customers watching their budgets.
For Checkers & Rally’s, however, the strategy does not necessarily mean putting a deeply discounted meal on the permanent menu.
Tebben said the company instead sees an opportunity to bring versions of the promotion back at different points depending on consumer demand and broader economic conditions.
“I’m not looking to necessarily have the meal deal be part of our core menu, but I certainly think we’re building equity, and consumers have responded to it. I would expect that you’ll see some version of this that will pulse in at different times for us as the macro environment demands,” Tebben said.
This year, Checkers & Rally’s brought the promotion back later than it did in 2025. Tebben said periodically offering the deal can help generate excitement while allowing the company to respond to changes in consumers’ routines and finances.
The latest promotion also coincides with the back-to-school and Labor Day period.
The $4 meal gives customers a choice of a Loaded Tender Wrap, Spicy Chicken Sandwich or Classic Burger, along with Value Fries, eight Chicken Bites and a 16-ounce drink. The promotion costs $5 in select markets.
Tebben said Checkers & Rally’s has focused on offering customers a complete meal rather than simply competing on the price of an individual menu item.
But the CEO said the definition of value extends beyond price. Checkers & Rally’s is also working to improve food quality, speed and customer service as part of a broader effort to turn around the brands.
“I think we’ve made a lot of improvements there. We still have a lot of work left to do to fully turn the brands around, but it can’t just be, you know, value and affordability. And then the guest comes in and doesn’t get a delightful experience. So it has to be the magic of the end. That’s what we’re really focused on,” Tebben said.
For Tebben, affordability remains a central part of that strategy as consumers decide where — and whether — to spend money on eating out.
“When it comes to the price component of your value offering, the way I like to think about it is that I never want affordability to ever be a barrier for someone choosing us,” he said. “But I think that’s the critical piece is if someone goes somewhere else because they don’t think that we’re affordable, then I’ve done something wrong in my job. We’ve done wrong as a brand.”
