McDonald’s officially announces national $5 value deal

McDonald’s announced the launch of its $5 meal deal on Thursday, in addition to other ways customers can save this summer.

The $5 meal deal, available starting June 25, includes a McDouble or McChicken, small fries, four Chicken McNuggets and a small drink. The company said the deal will be on menus at participating restaurants for a limited time. Bloomberg previously reported it would run for four weeks.

“We’ve heard our fans’ wishes loud and clear – they expect even more value from us and that’s exactly what they’ll get this summer,” said Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, in a statement. “Value has always been part of our DNA. We’re focused on living up to that heritage and offering delicious, affordable options that our customers can enjoy whenever they walk through our doors, drive through our drive-thru or place an order through our app.”

Additionally, McDonald’s is offering a free medium portion of fries with any $1 purchase through the mobile app every Friday through the end of 2024. On National French Fry Day (July 13), customers can get any size fries for free.

As inflation puts pressure on low-income consumers, McDonald’s was sluggish in the first quarter due to declining customer traffic in the industry in the U.S. The burger giant first hinted at a national value platform during its earnings call in late April. CEO Chris Kempczinski said the chain was looking for a centralized offering instead of multiple local offerings.

“I think we have a lot of great value locally, but the question is how do we consolidate into a stronger national value platform in the U.S. that is competitive,” he told investors on April 30. “How long that takes, I think, will depend on the individual conversations that happen in the market, but it’s clear that once that’s in place, the company could respond pretty quickly.”

Although McDonald’s has stressed its desire for a nationwide offering, the brand highlighted local offerings from franchisees in a recent press release. Some examples include a $1 BOGO breakfast sandwich in Memphis or a double cheeseburger and small fries for $3.50 in Columbus, Ohio. More than percent of U.S. operators offer meal packages for $4 or less.

“McDonald’s is all about affordable prices and memorable moments,” John Palmaccio, franchisee and chairman of the operator’s National Advertising Fund, said in a statement. “As small business owners, it’s our responsibility to provide great value to our local communities when they need it most. The $5 meal deal is the perfect complement to the everyday local deals customers can find in-store and on the app, like the 25 percent off any $10+ purchase offer I offer at my restaurants in Savannah, Georgia.”

The $5 menu offer comes not long after McDonald’s clarified the increase in its menu prices after several news organizations reported significant price spikes over the years. The chain debunked certain misrepresentations (e.g., the Big Mac menu has not increased 104 percent since 2019; in reality, the average price in 2019 was $7.29 and the average price in 2024 will be $9.29, a 27 percent increase).

McDonald’s isn’t the only one offering cheap deals. On June 10, Burger King launched its $5 Your Way Meal (choice of a Whopper Jr., Chicken Jr., or Bacon Cheeseburger, four chicken nuggets, fries, and drink). The deal will run through the rest of the summer. The brand is also testing two other cheap deals that could arrive in the second half of 2024. In May, Wendy’s announced a $3 deal on an English muffin for breakfast; guests can get small seasoned potatoes and their choice of a Bacon, Egg & Cheese English muffin or a Sausage, Egg & Cheese English muffin. The deal comes in addition to the chain’s $5 Biggie Bag, offered during lunch and dinner hours.