Combo or Single Entrée: Which Is Better Value?
Twelve combos pair a steak, chicken or tenders with shrimp or ribs, from $17.99 to $29.99. The pitch is two proteins for one price.
Whether that is good value depends on which combo and what you would otherwise have ordered.
Where the saving comes from
A combo gives you two proteins with one set of two sides. Ordering the two dishes separately would give you four sides, which most people do not want and would not eat.
So the saving is real but narrower than the headline suggests — you are not getting two full entrées for the price of one and a bit, you are getting two smaller protein portions on one plate.
The clearest genuine value case is Chicken Critters with Ribs at $17.99, which is the same price as a half slab of ribs alone. The tenders are effectively free.
When a single entrée is better
When you specifically want a full portion of one thing. A 6oz sirloin inside a combo is a smaller steak experience than an 11oz sirloin on its own for a comparable price.
When you are optimising per ounce. Filet 6oz with Ribs at $28.99 is close to Bone-In Ribeye money for considerably less meat.
When calories matter and the combo pairs two rich items. Ribeye 12oz with Ribs at 1,510 calories is the heaviest plate in the section, and both halves are heavy.
- Best value combo — Chicken Critters & Ribs, $17.99
- Lightest combo — Chicken Critters & 6oz Sirloin, 520 cal
- Best protein per calorie — Grilled BBQ Chicken & 6oz Sirloin, 590 cal
- Worst value — Filet 6oz & Ribs, $28.99
- Cheapest size upgrade — Sirloin 6oz to 8oz with shrimp, $2 for 2oz
The honest recommendation
Order a combo when you genuinely want both things, or when you are at the cheap end where the second protein is close to free.
Order a single entrée when you want a proper portion of one thing, and use the size ladder instead — a larger steak is better value per ounce than a smaller steak plus something else.
The combos are a variety proposition more than a value one, and they are good at that.
Frequently asked
Do combos come with two sides?
Yes, the same as a single entrée. That is where the saving comes from.
Which combo is best value?
Chicken Critters with Ribs at $17.99 — the same price as a half slab of ribs on its own.
Are combos smaller portions of each protein?
Yes. A combo pairs reduced portions rather than two full entrées.
Keep reading
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Every Steak Ranked by Price Per Ounce
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