McDonald’s announced on June 20 that their much-awaited $5 Meal Deal will be available soon. In response to rising fast-food costs, the company initially made the arrangement known in May as an affordable choice for consumers.
The press release stated, “This summer, we have good news for fans across the country— McDonald’s is here to help your dollar go farther with more deals and even more ways to save.”
Joe Erlinger, the president of McDonald’s USA, stated on June 25, the day the transaction was announced. He spoke with Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb on the chain’s initiatives and if the lunch would actually remain a limited-time deal.
“I’ve zig-zagged the country, been in our restaurants, and sat in focus groups — customers are telling us that they’re really stretched,” Erlinger said of McDonald’s customers. “This is a great opportunity for McDonald’s to bring value to them, as they have been feeling the stress of inflation over the last few years.”
During the conversation, Hoda said that while some customers were thrilled about the new inexpensive lunch, some were dissatisfied to learn that it would only be around for four weeks.
Erlinger said that areas including Denver, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and others have already chosen to keep the bargain meal available for a longer period of time. “We already see some franchisees are gonna vote this further through,” he added.
“Our goal is to discuss this topic nationwide for four weeks, after which we anticipate it will be promoted locally for a longer period of time,” he stated.
The $5 bundle comes with four items: fries, a drink, four pieces of chicken nuggets, and your pick of a McChicken or McDouble.
Erlinger stated in the press release, “We heard our fans loud and clear—they’re looking for even more great value from us, and that’s exactly what they’ll get this summer.” It is in our DNA to value things. Our goal is to uphold that heritage by providing our customers with mouthwatering, reasonably priced selections whether they visit us, use our drive-through, or place an order via our app.
The $5 Meal Deal isn’t the only option on the table, according to Erlinger and McDonald’s reps.
Through the end of 2024, customers nationwide who use the McDonald’s App may take advantage of “Free Fries Friday” by getting a free medium fry with any purchase that has a $1 minimum. Moreover, McDonald’s App users may obtain free fries of any size on July 13 in honor of National French Fry Day without having to make a purchase.
According to McDonald’s, franchisees are using social media to advertise their own exclusive discounts to celebrate summer in local communities around the nation. For example, consumers in Columbus, Ohio may get a Double Cheeseburger for $3.50 when they purchase a small-size fry, while those in Memphis, Tennessee, can enjoy $1 breakfast sandwiches with the purchase of another.
“There are always chances to visit your neighborhood McDonald’s and take advantage of the exclusive offers they have,” Erlinger said to Hoda and Savannah.
Customers are advised to use the McDonald’s App to view all the local summer deals.
McDonald’s and Competitors Offer Budget-Friendly Deals Amid Rising Health Consciousness
There are more fast-food chains involved in the fast-food value wars beyond Ronald McDonald’s House. Burger King announced the reintroduction of its $5 Your Way Meal earlier this month, while other restaurants including Buffalo Wild Wings, Popeyes, KFC, and Wendy’s have promoted their own inexpensive meals, special offers, and other options for saving money.
Erlinger discussed another topic that is becoming more and more popular at the Golden Arches and other fast-food restaurants: the emergence of prescription weight-loss drugs.
“We’ll never lose touch with our customers,” Erlinger declared. “We will therefore make sure to be there for whatever needs customers have coming from restaurants like McDonald’s if they start taking more products like Ozempic.”
“There might be an increase in protein and snacking,” he responded. “That might be one of the ways it shows up in our business.”
