McDonald’s expands its 5 dollar menu worth available in most U.S. stores by December, a move that competitors are likely to follow.
McDonald’s introduced the deal in June after a disappointing first quarter That resulted in fewer visits in the U.S. and lower spending per order, especially among customers earning less than $45,000 a year. The $5 meal deal includes a McDouble burger or McChicken sandwich, small fries, four Chicken McNuggets and a small drink.
“Together with our franchisees, we strive to keep our prices as affordable as possible,” said Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s in the United States, on Thursday.
As food price inflation has slowedMore people are choosing to eat at home. According to the US Census Bureau, sales at US restaurants rose slightly in July. But that was mainly due to higher menu prices. Adjusted for inflation, restaurant sales fell 0.7% compared to July 2023, according to the National Restaurant Association.
Rivals like Burger King McDonald’s quickly followed with its own $5 meal deals. Burger King recently extended its deal through October.
Wendy’swhich already offered a $5 meal, started throwing in a free Frosty in June. Now it’s offering a $5 meal for college football fans every Saturday in the fall, with no delivery fees.
The deals are driving footfall in stores. Placer.ai, which uses cellphone data to monitor footfall in stores, said visits to McDonald’s in the U.S. rose 2.4 percent in June after the $5 meal was introduced and have remained high since then.
Placer.ai said Taco Bell saw a 12.3% increase in visits during the week of July 29, when free drinks were offered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Baja Blast.
Fast food restaurants aren’t the only ones using special offers to lure customers in. Olive Garden recently announced that its Never-Ending Pasta Bowl deal – which includes soup or salad, breadsticks and pasta for $13.99 – will run through November 17.
McDonald’s announced it will also offer other specials this fall, including free medium fries every Friday with a minimum purchase of one dollar and 10 Chicken McNuggets for one dollar between November 4 and December 2.
