Fast-food chains battle it out with new menu options

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's been years since Subway customers saw the $5 foot-long sandwich deal, but in 2018 it's reemerged at a penny cheaper - $4.99.

"I assume everyone always goes to Subway, especially for like lunch or for businesses and such. It's easier than a McDonald's, or Burger King, or something like that," Michelle Kitchen said.

But customers like Kitchen would be wrong. Subway has battled fresh produce complaints as other chains are going healthy.

A driving force in the market is McDonald's with a new $1, $2, or $3 menu that gives customers a choice from a $1 McChicken sandwich and any size drink all the way to a $3 Happy Meal or triple cheeseburger.

Fast-food chain Jack in the Box also launched a "Value Done Jack's Way" - priced at $5 or less.

And Taco Bell officially introduced a new creation - $1 Nacho Cheese Fries, with Mexican seasoning and a side of warm nacho cheese. Customer Nick Tong tried Taco Bell's Stacker - a quesadilla-like meat and cheese sandwich.

"I don't want to spend $15 on lunch every day but it's also got to have some sort of appeal as far as something I would definitely want to eat versus just price alone," he said.

Even small changes can be seen in 2018 at the Southern California burger institution, In-N-Out Burger. For the first time in more than 15 years, the cult favorite made an addition, sort of. An item, which had fallen off the menu years ago, returned - an 8-ounce cup of hot chocolate for $1.65.

It seems the bottom line for at least one customer we spoke to is what hits the spot.

"McDonald's is fine, but I prefer In-N-Out," Jean Buendia said.