DoorDash enters the restaurant value wars with a $12 meal deal

• DoorDash is offering $12 meal deals in some cities.
• The value boxes include full meals from local restaurants — and no delivery fees.
• It's the latest entrant into the restaurant value-deal wars.

DoorDash is getting into the meal deal game.

The delivery service is offering $12 meal boxes in "select areas across more than 20 cities" including Atlanta, Chicago, and Philadelphia, it said on Monday.

The meals will be filled by local restaurants and include a protein, vegetable, and carbohydrate. They also don't include a delivery fee and come with "reduced service fees," the company said.

The boxes aren't just cheap eats. Like many value-priced options, they're meant to draw customers to restaurants, hoping to get them to order other items or come back later.

"Meal Boxes are designed to drive a steady stream of everyday orders and introduce restaurants to new customers," DoorDash said in its statement.

The deal is the latest value option for diners. Restaurant chains from McDonald's to Chili's have revamped their meal-deal offerings in recent years as food inflation has squeezed many consumers.

Many customers have continued to order food for delivery while cutting their spending in other areas, despite added costs such as delivery fees and tips.

DoorDash's $12 boxes might be an acknowledgment that some diners are seeking budget-friendly options and convenience simultaneously.

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