McDonald's unveils wild new budget menu with items costing $3 or less... after Big Macs hit staggering $18
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McDonald's is preparing to launch a wave of ultra-cheap menu deals as it tries to win back diners who have been turned off by rising prices.
The fast-food giant is planning a new menu where items cost $3 or less, along with $4 breakfast meal deals, starting in April.
'We have achieved incredible progress together and remain committed to meeting ever-changing customer needs,' McDonald's said in a message Monday to chain franchisees, a copy of which was viewed by The Wall Street Journal, which first revealed the news.
McDonald's came under fire in 2024 when a viral social media post showing Big Mac combos costing $18 or more became the poster child for post-pandemic price hikes for fast food.
Franchisees - who ultimately set menu prices - pushed through large increases after inflation surged following the pandemic.
As a result, surveys showed many customers no longer viewed McDonald's as the bargain it once was.
The Chicago-based chain fought to restore its reputation for good-value food with a $5 meal deal in summer 2024, plus buy-one-get-one-for-$1 deals in early 2025. Both helped boost sales.
Now McDonald's is doubling down on discounts. The new menu will feature items costing $3 and under, including options such as a sausage biscuit or a four-piece Chicken McNuggets, according to people familiar with the plans.
McDonald's is preparing to launch a wave of ultra-cheap menu deals as it tries to win back diners who have been turned off by rising prices
McDonald's came under fire in 2024 when a viral social media post showing Big Mac combos costing $18 or more became the poster child for post-pandemic price hikes for fast food
The new menu will feature items costing $3 and under, including options such as a sausage biscuit or a four-piece Chicken McNuggets
Meanwhile, a $4 breakfast combo will bundle together items such as a McMuffin, hash brown and coffee.
Both menus aim to replace the buy-one-get-one-for-a-$1 menu.
The new deals - internally dubbed 'McValue 2.0' - are designed to focus on the promotions that work best at bringing budget-sensitive diners back through the doors.
The company and its franchisees spent $85million in advertising the cheaper combo meal.
This year, they are expected to send $35million to struggling restaurant operators who took a hit from selling the items in early 2026, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said in a February interview with the WSJ.
Chief executive Chris Kempczinski said earlier this year that the chain is determined to protect its position as the fast-food industry's value leader.
'We absolutely are going to make sure that we are protecting our leadership position in value,' he said during a recent investor call.
Rivals are also rolling out deals.
Panera Bread recently unveiled a $4.99 mix-and-match deal, while Domino's has been aggressively promoting a $9.99 pizza with any toppings.
