• I spent $10 on meals at Shake Shack, Chick-fil-A, Burger King, McDonald's, and Wendy's. • I enjoyed the chicken sandwich from Shake Shack, but didn't feel like I got a lot for my money. • The meals from McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's felt like the best value.

Eating out when you're on a budget feels harder than ever these days. With prices going up at even the cheapest spots, I set out on a mission to find out which fast-food chain would deliver me the most bang for my buck.

I visited five well-known chain restaurants — McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Chick-fil-A, and Shake Shack — and kept to a $10 budget, excluding app-only deals and rewards to keep it even across the board. Here's how it went.

Prices may vary by location.

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