McDonald’s is reportedly trying to lure back lower-income customers who were being priced out of the Golden Arches after menu prices increased to include $18 Big Macs and $6 hash browns. It is reportedly preparing to launch dollar meal deals.
A person familiar with the matter said the affordable menu could include a McChicken or McDouble with fries and a drink. bloomberg on condition of anonymity.
For reference, the McChicken at McDonald’s in Times Square costs $5.59 just for the sandwich, which includes a breaded chicken patty, shredded lettuce, and mayonnaise.
Meanwhile, a McDouble with two beef patties, cheese, pickles and diced onions sells for $5.79 at McDonald’s in the same Midtown Manhattan location.
A small side of fries here will add an additional $4.49, and a small soft drink will also add $3.19.
Without the $5 meal deal, a McDouble with the same sandwich, fries, and drink would cost a total of $13.47.
At $5, that’s nearly a 63% cost difference.
It was not immediately clear at which of McDonald’s more than 13,500 U.S. locations the $5 meal deal would go into effect, or when.
Representatives for McDonald’s did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Rumors about affordable meals arose after McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski reported lower-than-expected first-quarter profits, telling investors that customers were fed up with prices. This comes after the company said it needed to “focus on affordability” given the
Keeping costs down has not yet been a top priority for McDonald’s this year, with about half of the states in the U.S. beginning to raise minimum wages, with New York and California raising wages to $16 an hour.
But on April 1, the Golden State also implemented a rule requiring fast food workers to be paid $20 an hour.
To offset rising labor costs, several franchisees across the country have raised menu prices, including McDonald’s owner Scott Rodrick, who has already raised menu prices at 18 of his restaurants. He said he has raised prices by 7% and is currently considering shortening business hours.
Customers were also furious after discovering that the new Big Mac cost more than $18 at one store in Connecticut, where an Egg McMuffin cost a whopping $7.29 and hungry patrons were offered one side. Hash browns cost $5.69.
Some people expressed their salty feelings over the fact that McDonald’s popular $1, $2, $3 menu doesn’t actually include anything that’s $1.
Overall, the Chicago-based burger joint has reduced menu prices by 100% over the past decade. This is more than three times the US inflation rate. According to research by FinanceBuzzquoted national average prices.
The Quarter Pounder and Cheese costs $11.99, more than double the price of $5.39 in 2014, FinanceBuzz reports.
McDonald’s claimed the report was inaccurate.
As the price of McDonald’s meals rose, so did the rate of inflation. The consumer price index, which measures changes in the cost of everyday goods and services, rose at an annual rate of 3.5% in March.
