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- Clark Biweekly 7 14 25
Clark Biweekly 7 14 25
Sally McDonald
July 14, 2025
Today’s Sponsor
💵 Today’s Top Stories
 | Being able to return items can boost the value of shopping online. But did you know that you can’t return items like some jewelry, computers and health products? Read more. |
 | Here’s why Clark absolutely loves target date funds, the easy button for retirement investing. Read more. |
Sponsor | From your 20s to your 70s, discover key milestones, deadlines, and steps to build a confident retirement plan. This downloadable guide breaks down exactly what to focus on in each decade—so you can maximize savings, avoid costly missteps, and retire on your terms. |
 | Big news for Fidelity cardholders! Find out what this change means for your rewards and how you can take advantage. Read more. |
 | This month, we’ve found 14 cell phone service providers that are offering limited-time discounts, new customer offers and/or new plan perks. Read more. |
 | Ditch takeout food and gym memberships this year and your wallet will thank you. Here’s the complete list of money-saving opportunities. Read more. |
🍔 American Eaters Valuing Casual Over Fast Food
Fast food hit a 9.0 on their scale in 2019, towering above casual and fast casual dining. But fast food had fallen to just above 5.0 by 2024. That tracks, as McDonald’s and others have seen year-over-year declines.
It was casual dining that nearly kissed 9.0 on the scale just before 2024. Fast casual nearly overlapped casual on the chart, but has plummeted along with fast food in the most recent months of data, while casual dining bounced back near 8.0.
“As cost-conscious customers have been put off by inflation-spiked fast-food menus, they’ve been drawn toward household name casual restaurants by a combination of good service, good atmosphere, and good prices,” Sherwood reported.
Fast casual restaurants have leaned on loyalty programs with decent success. Meanwhile, casual options such as Cracker Barrel and Red Lobster “are spending millions of dollars to update their menus and dining rooms to recruit more customers,” attracting new and younger customers while retaining old ones.
Olive Garden (No. 1), Cracker Barrel (No. 3), IHOP (No. 4) and Denny’s (No. 9) are among the Top 10 restaurants by value, all of the casual or fast casual genre. Only one fast food (Wendy’s at No. 8) made the list.
Starbucks was named the worst value option.
📊 Stat of the Day
💸 749: Miles that a car from luxury EV maker Lucid traveled on a single battery charge last week. It’s a new Guiness World Record for the model with a base price of about $110,000, beating a Mercedes-Benz who last month made it 649 miles.
💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
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🎙️ Podcast
It’s time for "Clark Stinks!" Christa reads the latest "Clark Stinks!" submissions and Clark responds. Also, recent college graduates are feeling the pressure of a tough job market. Clark tackles the anxiety many new grads face, offering practical advice on navigating today's employment landscape. Learn why gaining experience while in school is crucial, discover alternative paths like skilled trades, and find out why your first job isn't your last.
☎️ Need Money Help?
The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.
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