McDonald's launches 'McValue 2.0' menu to win back cash-strapped customers - but Burger King is one step ahead
The battle of the burgers is starting to sizzle.
As pressure from rival chain Burger King mounts, McDonald's has announced major changes to its menu to make dining out more affordable for cost-cutting customers.
In an effort to win customers back as Burger King sees a jump in sales, McDonald's will launch its new 'Under $3 Menu' - featuring the chain's cheapest staples - on April 21.
While Burger King saw sales grow 5.8 percent last year, McDonald's stock was down 6 percent in the past month - significantly worse than the 3.7 percent fall projected by analysts.
Burger King's parent company, Restaurant Brands International, reported quarterly earnings and revenue that exceeded expectations driven by strong its international market.
The chain has been actively drawing in customers with improvements to its iconic Whopper sandwich and updates to in-store technology. In April, the company announced it would hire 60,000 new employees to keep up with demand.
'When a brand like Burger King listens to customers and visibly evolves a core product like the Whopper, it creates a sense of participation - people feel heard,' food industry expert Ravi Sawhney told the Daily Mail. 'That builds emotional loyalty far faster than introducing entirely new menu concepts.'
Burger King's leadership duo of Patrick Doyle and Tom Curtis are the masterminds behind the chain's growth, positioning the chain to be a serious contender at reclaiming the burger crown.
The new McDonald's value menu features the McChicken, McDouble, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, small fries and a small drink for under $3
Burger King's president Tom Curtis posted a video sampling the improved Whopper
Doyle, executive chairman of Burger King parent company Restaurant Brands International, built a reputation for turning around businesses for the better.
Before landing his Burger King gig, Doyle served as the president of Domino's, one of the world's largest pizza chains, as rivals like Pizza Hut and Papa John's struggled to find their footing.
Domino’s sales increased from about $3.1 billion in 2009 to a staggering $9.5 billion at the end of 2024.
'McDonald's is a terrific competitor,' Doyle said. 'I have enormous respect for them and particularly their franchisees.'
'They do a really good job of running their restaurants,' he added. 'We have some foundational catching up that we needed to do in the US. That foundational catching up for the most part, doesn't exist in international, which is why the progress is faster.'
McDonald's improved value menu aims to 'offers more choice, more flexibility and more ways to build a meal that fits their day and budget' to customers, according to a press release from the fast food company.
Morning options will include the $1.50 Sausage McMuffin. For lunch and dinner, the Under $3 Menu will offer a McChicken, McDouble, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, small fries and a small drink.
New budget options will replace the previous buy-one, get-one-for-$1 promotion. However, McDonald's 'Meal Deals,' bundling a McChicken or McDouble with a 4-piece McNuggets, fries and a drink, will remain.
The new deals, internally dubbed 'McValue 2.0,' are designed to bring budget-sensitive diners back to the chain, but some still believe the chain is falling behind is terms of customer loyalty.
McDonald's released the Big Arch burger in the US, complete with two beef patties, three slices of cheese, crispy and fresh onions, pickles, lettuce and ‘Big Arch’ sauce
'McDonald’s strength has always been consistency and scale, but in today’s environment, consumers are looking for brands that feel responsive and personal,' Sawhney said. 'The difference isn’t just in the food - it’s in how the experience makes people feel about their choice.'
Burger King and McDonald's have been heating up their rivalry in recent months, with Curtis appeared to mock McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski in a now-viral social media video.
Curtis posted a video of himself taking a giant bite of the Whopper - and delivering a one-line punchline.
'Only one thing missing,' he said. 'A napkin.'
Just days earlier, the McDonald’s boss carefully nibbled on its newest product, the Big Arch burger, while declaring: 'That’s a big bite for a Big Arch.'
McDonald's remains one of the most profitable chain restaurants in the world - Chinese chain Mixue Ice Cream & Tea overtook McDonald's as the world's largest fast food chain by store count.
