Mcdonald's Quietly Fixes Its Customers' Biggest Menu Beef

Americans increasingly see fast food as a luxury item.

With costs rising everywhere, people have looked more closely at what they're spending, and they're not always liking what they see, especially when it comes to fast food. It's an area known for offering good value, but many American no longer see it that way, according to a survey of 2,000 Americans from Lending Tree.

• Three in four Americans typically eat fast food at least once a week, but the majority (62%) say they’re eating it less due to rising prices. In fact, 65% of Americans have been shocked by the high price of a fast-food bill in the past six months.
• More than three-quarters (78%) of consumers view fast food as a luxury because it’s become increasingly expensive.
• Additionally, half of Americans say they view fast food as a luxury because they’re struggling financially.
• While 67% of Americans agree fast food should be cheaper than eating at home, 75% say this isn’t the case.
• Nearly half (46%) say fast food's cost is similar to their local sit-down restaurants, while 22% say fast food is more expensive.
  Source: Lending Tree

As an occasional McDonald's customer, it was hard to ignore that a $10 bill did not cover every combo meal. That made what used to be a cheap option seem pricey compared to healthier, and perhaps tastier, choices.

It's a problem that hurt McDonald's sales, and the company made major changes to address it.

McDonald's U.S. sales dropped

U.S. comparable store sales dropped by 3.6% in the first quarter of 2025, according to a McDonald's earnings release.

That was part of a global challenge for the company, which CEO Christopher Kempczinski addressed during its Q1, 2025 earnings call.

"Our global comp sales in the first quarter declined by 1%, and while we expected global QSR industry traffic would be down in the first quarter, actual industry traffic fell more than we anticipated in several of our large markets, including the U.S. In the U.S., overall QSR industry traffic from the low income consumer cohort was down nearly double-digits versus the prior year quarter," he said.

More Restaurants 

• Taco Bell and KFC work on simplifying their restaurants
• Chick-fil-A making major change to 425 restaurants nationwide
• Bankrupt beer and pizza restaurant chain closes locations
• Restaurant chain famed for rude waiters closes multiple locations

The CEO made it clear that he understood that McDonald's has a value perception problem during the chain's second-quarter earnings call.

"We recognize that consumers' value perceptions are most influenced by our core menu pricing. We're working closely and collaboratively with our U.S. franchisees on this opportunity, and we're developing ideas for how we might address this as an entire system," he said.

McDonald's brings out deals and lower-priced items

Over the past six months, McDonald's has worked to change how consumers perceive its prices. Because McDonald's stores are franchised, not every location offered these deals (airports and other outlier locations often do not).

• Revival of Extra Value Meals: McDonald’s brought back discounted combo meals across the U.S. starting Sept. 8, 2025, offering a range of meals at roughly 15% below individual pricing, including a $5 Sausage McMuffin with Egg and an $8 Big Mac meal as limited‑time options, according to Brand Eating.
• $5 Meal Deal extended into 2026: The classic bundle (McDouble or McChicken, small fries, 4‑pc nuggets, and small drink) has been folded into the new McValue menu and extended through summer 2026, marking one of the core ongoing value offers, reported FOX 29.
• Launch of McValue platform (from Jan. 7, 2025): This consolidated value menu includes the extended $5 Meal Deal, Buy One, Add One for $1 on select breakfast and lunch/dinner items, and other app‑exclusive and local deals, FOX 29 added.

Deals have helped McDonald's

Deals have helped McDonald's drive added business, according to company data and analyst reports.

In the weeks after the $5 Meal Deal launch, M Science found that orders with the bundle had 12% higher checks than orders without it. The promotion has been ordered more frequently as an add-on to other items, rather than a standalone purchase, Retail Dive reported.

“We think the high percentage of ‘regulars’ among the offer’s customer base might mean some customers are boosting their standard order with the promo rather than substituting the promo for existing orders,” M Science said in a report shared with Retail Dive. “We think the boost to average check could be helping to support average check at a time when MCD is looking to get less aggressive on its pricing.” 

McDonald's has turned around its comparable store sales since putting its focus on value perception. That's something Kempczinski spoke about during the company's third-quarter earnings call.

"In the third quarter, McDonald's delivered global comparable sales growth of more than 3.5%, with growth across all segments. In addition, for the second quarter in a row, McDonald's delivered global system-wide sales growth of more than 6% in constant currency, reflective of the increasing contribution from new unit openings," he said.

He specifically credited value as driving part of that turnaround.

"Our performance is anchored in our Accelerating the Arches business strategy and exceptional execution to provide the value our customers want for the food they love. Our combination of great-tasting menu innovation, exciting marketing and reliable value and affordability succeeded in a highly challenged consumer environment and drove traffic share gains in a majority of our top markets," he added.

That turnaround may also reflect consumers trading down.

"As U.S. consumers tighten their wallets, budget-friendly restaurant chains such as McDonald's, Chili's and Domino's are emerging as winners, drawing more diners who are trading down to cheaper meals," Reuters reported in November.

Related: Wendy’s cuts prices and closes stores as sales slow