The Wendy's Hack That Can Save You Money On Your Next Fast-Food Feast

Here at The Takeout, we are always looking for ways to save some cash at fast food restaurants. While this can sometimes be accomplished by ordering a specialized McDouble instead of a Big Mac, it can also be achieved by changing how you order your combo meals. The latter is especially true at Wendy's, a chain that invented the value menu. At the Dave Thomas-founded restaurant, the difference between getting a combo meal and a Biggie Bag can save you money and give you an additional menu item for your troubles.

How does this work? Well, a combo meal at Wendy's includes a sandwich, a large fry, and a large drink, oftentimes totaling around $10 or more in my neck of the woods, though that mark might differ depending on your local prices. Alternatively, the typical Biggie Bag offers a sandwich, a small fry, a large fry, and a four-piece nugget for nearly half the price, typically $4 to $7, depending on your choice of sandwich and location. The trick — as was explained by a handful of Wendy's workers and customers on TikTok — is to order a Biggie Bag and upgrade both the fry and the drink to larges for a small upcharge, around $0.80 to $1.50 in most markets. resulting in a nearly identical meal with a far lower price.

Switching from a combo meal to a Biggie Bag can save you even more money if you decide not to upgrade to a large and instead move up to a medium. In my area, getting a Biggie Bag upgraded to have medium sides costs an additional $0.50, though prices, as always, vary depending on location. Alternatively, a Dave's Single combo meal, even with small fries and a small drink, will run you at least a few dollars more than a Biggie Bag that's upgraded to feature either medium or large sides.

Although this hack may seem foolproof, one thing to keep in mind is that Wendy's combo meals allow you to order Dave's burgers and the Baconator, while its Biggie Bags do not. Biggie Bags are available for items like the Double Stack and the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, though, both of which can be modified to feature additional deluxe toppings, often at no additional charge. Plus, because you also receive a four-piece chicken nugget, the Biggie Bag is a far more complete meal than the standard combos available at the unfortunately waning fast food chain. Thus, it feels like a no-brainer to opt for a Biggie Bag in favor of the standard combo meal, even if there are small differences in the burgers and chicken sandwiches you receive.