Top Five Fast Food Dollar Menu Mainstays

When you're in a rush, or, when you're driving down Route 9 looking for a quick bite that doesn't involve you getting out of the car, these are my top five guilty pleasures. They might not be the healthiest things for you, but frankly, the price is right and they hit the spot.

1. 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, McDonald's
I love Chicken McNuggets and I always have. The first time I went to McDonald's, I ordered a Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal, and I fell in love. When Mickey D's created its dollar menu, it eventually included a box of four McNuggets. Getting three boxes of four is actually cheaper than a single box of ten. I like to eat the crispy outside of a McNugget first and then dunk it into the Sweet & Sour Sauce.

2. Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe, Wendy's
When you get a 99-cent cheeseburger from McDonald's, it's a microwaved burger with two pickles, miniscule onion cubes, and a squirt of ketchup and mustard. For the same price at Wendy's, not only do you get a fresh-made burger, you get lettuce, tomato, a couple of onion rings, and mayonnaise. There's no question here.

3. Snacker, KFC
It's a Colonel's Strip on a finger roll with some shredded lettuce and a zesty mayonnaise-based sauce. So why is KFC's snacker sandwich so goddamn good? I think the Honey BBQ version is alright, I'm not crazy about the Buffalo or Cheese versions, and don't get me started about the fish, but the original is the best. So simple, yet so delicious!

4. McChicken, McDonald's
The McChicken is basically the Snacker with more chicken, more bun, plain mayonnaise, and one or two hundred more calories. It used to be the case that you didn't know what dregs of the chicken you'd be getting, but since Mickey D's switched to all-white meat, you can rest assured that your dollar sandwich is slightly upscale.

5. Chili, Wendy's
I'd like to shake the hand of the genius who came up with fast food (excuse me, quick service) chili, because he developed one of the most ingenious concepts in the history of man. Of course, I'd want to make sure he isn't missing any fingers first. It's actually pretty good chili, with beans and ground beef in it. For those like myself who like to make their fast food an interactive activity, the chili comes with saltine crackers and hot sauce that you can add in as you please.

Note: Burger King is not included on this list, since I have boycotted Burger King ever since becoming a McDonald's shareholder in 1993. Also, while Taco Bell is one of my favorites, about the only thing you can get for less than a buck there is a bag of nacho chips with a cup of cheese. Meh.