McDonald’s recent $5 Meal Deal is attracting traffic growth as intended.
The offer— which features a McDouble or McChicken, small fries, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, and a small drink—debuted on June 25 and will run for a limited time.
The day it launched was McDonald’s busiest Tuesday of the year until that was re-set by Tuesday, July 2, according to Placer.ai. On June 25, visits were 8 percent higher than the average Tuesday in 2024. The rest of the week saw higher rates in comparison to their 2024 average as well. On that following Wednesday it was 7.1 percent, and then 7.9 percent for that Thursday, 5.4 percent for Friday, and 7.1 percent for Saturday.
In addition to this Meal Deal, McDonald’s is offering a free medium fry with any $1 purchase via the mobile app every Friday through the rest of 2024. On National French Fry Day (July 12), customers can get free fries of any size.
With inflation impacting lower-income consumers, McDonald’s experienced flat to declining Q1 traffic in the U.S. In response, the burger giant hinted at a new national value platform during its Q1 earnings call in April. CEO Chris Kempczinski emphasized the need for a centralized offer instead of localized deals to compete more effectively. He stated, “There’s lots of great value at a local level, but it’s about coming together in the U.S. around a stronger national value platform.”
Despite this push for a national strategy, McDonald’s continues to highlight local deals from franchisees. Examples include BOGO for $1 breakfast sandwiches in Memphis, a mix and match McChicken and McDouble deal for $3.99 in Western New York, and a Double Cheeseburger and small fries for $3.50 in Columbus, Ohio. Over 90 percent of U.S. operators offer meal bundles for $4 or less.
This move comes after McDonald’s addressed concerns about rising menu prices. The chain corrected false narratives, clarifying that the Big Mac Meal’s price increase from $7.29 in 2019 to $9.29 in 2024 is a 27 percent rise, not 104 percent as reported.
McDonald’s is among numerous restaurants offering value deals and offers to attract price-conscious consumers. On June 10, Burger King launched its $5 Your Way Meal (Choice of a Whopper Jr., Chicken Jr., or Bacon Cheeseburger, four-piece Chicken Nuggets, fries, and drink). In May, Wendy’s announced a $3 English Muffin deal at breakfast; guests can get a small Seasoned Potatoes and their choice of either a Bacon, Egg & Cheese English Muffin or a Sausage, Egg & Cheese English Muffin. That’s in addition to the chain’s $5 Biggie Bag during lunch and dinner dayparts.