McDonalds sales driven by Dollar Menu

I read recently that sales at McDonald's blew away analyst expectations this winter with the help of $1 meals. Apparently, Micky D's was suffering from a "rare decline" in November. The company then beefed up its Dollar Menu promos with "renewed emphasis on low-priced menu options, such as $1 Sausage McMuffins and coffee."

It's fast, it's easy, and it costs $1. It was a genius way for McDonalds to boost their sales. But, because I've sworn off fast food forever (or, at least until I'm stuck at a highway service station with a massive case of the munchies!), I decided investigate what other foods I could buy with just a buck.

Grabbing my single George Washington, I stepped out into the big city to find a healthy meal for a dollar.

At my first stop - the usual lunch cafe - there was actually nothing available for a single dollar. Yogurt, a power bar, even a bag of chips was too expensive! I had to fight the hunger pangs and move on.

At another cafe, I discovered that the lack of $1 items is compounded by a hierarchy in options. The average assortment of fruit goes for $1 a piece. That is, if you can survive a workday on a Red Delicious. Surprisingly, at the same cafe, a 1.5 inch slice of Stromboli stuffed with salami and cheese, also goes for a dollar.

Across the street at the local news shop, a cup of coffee costs 99 cents. But, so does a slice from the pizza guy next door. In New York City, where every corner has a pizzeria, my stomach was beginning to fight harder than my one dollar mission. Then, I stepped into a nondescript deli shop and was greeted by the unthinkable: a basket of hard boiled eggs.

"They're fifty cents," the cashier said as I stared hungrily. "Two for a dollar."

Here, at the corner store, I had found a healthy, protein packed meal that could tide me over for a good few hours.

I bought two, went back to work, and felt good about my Dollar Meal Quest. If you want to find a fast food alternative on a $1 budget, you have to look for it. It will take work, but it's out there. With talk of the fiscal cliff, rising taxes, and a soaring obeisty rate, maybe menus everywhere will start to jump on the dollar deal. If it worked for McDonald's, it can work for the little, healthier guy too.