Fast-food deals roll out for fall

Fall fast-food deals are rolling out like so many pumpkins.

With summer in the rearview mirror and the weather cooling off, many consumers choose eating options beyond the fast-food joint. So, the major fast-food chains are offering special deals and limited-time promos to try to keep the customers from leaving, or to lure them back for more.

On Monday, Burger King announces one of the highest-profile deals of the fall when, for a limited time, it rolls back the price of its 10-piece Chicken Nuggets pack to $1.49, about half the usual price of $2.99.

"We wanted to offer our guests an aggressive deal rivaling anything our competition has ever done," said Eric Hirschhorn, chief marketing officer, North America, in a statement.

Beyond Burger King, everyone from McDonald's to Taco Bell to KFC to Dairy Queen to Pizza Hut has a special deal or promo in motion.

For most of the fast-food giants, it's a market-share battle in an industry struggling for growth. Under that scenario, the easiest way to instantly attract business is by discounting.

"Discounting is generally driven by the desire to get ... customers" to try new things, says Sam Oches, editor of QSR Magazine, a fast-food industry trade publication. But watch out, he warns. While value deals can drive traffic, discounting comes at a cost and often teaches consumers to wait for discounts before going out to eat. "Franchisees especially are wary of too much discounting," he says.

But customers can't get enough of it. Beyond the nuggets promotion at BK, here are some of this month's other fast-food deals:

• McDonald's. A 20-piece pack of Chicken McNuggets goes for $5 — a price considerably higher than BK's new nugget deal. But McDonald's also just rolled out its annual Monopoly promotion and sweepstakes, which is a huge attraction with substantial prizes.

• Taco Bell. Its relatively new Dollar Cravings Menu offers products that actually cost $1, not more, like its Beefy Fritos Burrito and the Shredded Chicken Mini-Quesadilla.

• KFC. The brand's $5 Fill-Ups menu promises lots of food for little dough. One such offer includes a drumstick and thigh, biscuit, medium soft drink and a chocolate chip cookie for $5.

• Dairy Queen. The 5 Buck Lunch keeps getting new iterations. The latest is two Crispy Chicken Wraps, fries, a soft drink and a sundae for $5.

• Pizza Hut. To promote online ordering, the chain has been offering a $7.99 "Digital Deal" on a large, two-topping pizza ordered online.

Still not satisfied? Well, the very best fast-food deals typically come just after the first of the year, when credit cards often are maxed out on holiday shopping and twofers become more common. But the big chains are betting you won't be able to hold out that long — or will you?