Trial and Error: Which is the best fast food meal deal under $5?

We Kiwis work hard for our money and we like a good deal on our tucker. There's plenty of choice out there for lunch on the run or an easy dinner via the drive-thru. But what is the best option that won't leave you feeling short-changed by sub-par fast food?

From burgers to chicken wraps, plenty of popular fast food chains around New Zealand offer a $5 or under meal deal, so we decided to do some serious research on the nation's behalf to work out which option really is the best in value and taste.

To be classified as a "meal deal" in our survey, the offering had to include two or more items, which meant the likes of the Subway Sub of the Day didn't make the cut. Sorry Jared.

Armed with just a fiver per meal to spend at KFC, Carl's Jr., Burger King and McDonald's here's what our trio of taste testers, Mitch, Storme and Eleanor, thought of the options.

KFC Crispy Wrap Lunch

Price: $5
What you get: One crispy chicken wrap, regular chips and a drink
Comments: The wrap scored high on taste factor, as did the Colonel's signature chicken-salted chips. However, the team couldn't help but feel like something special was missing from this KFC value meal: maybe a sneaky chicken drumstick?

Carl's Jr. Lunch Deal

Price: $5
What you get: Hamburger, small fries and a drink
Comments: Carl's scored high on taste for panellist Mitch, who ranked this meal the tastiest bite out of all the options. However, Eleanor was a little disappointed it wasn't a cheeseburger on offer.

Burger King Cheeseburger Stunner Meal

Price: $5
What you get: Small fries, cheeseburger, sundae (we got nuggets because the ice cream machine was broken) and a small drink
Comments: The Burger King Cheeseburger Stunner Meal was an instant hit with the panel, offering four tasty items for $5. And the nuggets were a pretty satisfying replacement for the sundae.

McDonald's Snack Deal

Price: $4
What you get: Cheeseburger and small fries
Comments: While this was an entire $1 cheaper than the other options is only included two items.

Sure, the classic burger and fries didn't disappoint, but all three taste testers agreed the two items alone didn't satisfy their meal deal cravings.

After a little digging, however, we found you can add a Frozen Coke for an extra dollar, which may satisfy your thirst cravings and sweeten the deal.

Final verdict:

Burger King was the winner on the day. That one extra item, plus the fact that the burger had cheese, pushed the BK Stunner Meal ahead of the rest of the pack.

While Mitch stood firm in camp Carl's, Storme and Eleanor agreed if they had a spare $5 and their tummies were rumbling, BK would be their first port of call.