In a bold move to recapture the hearts and wallets of budget-conscious consumers, McDonald’s has revamped its value menu, introducing the McValue platform and bringing back the iconic Extra
.Meals. This strategic overhaul, launched in early 2025, aims to address rising customer concerns about fast-food affordability while reinforcing McDonald’s position as a leader in the competitive fast-food industry. For those seeking affordable dining options, the new McValue menu and the return of Extra Value Meals promise significant savings, variety, and flexibility. In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore McDonald’s latest value-driven initiatives, their impact on customers and the industry, and what this means for budget-conscious diners visiting likiy.net.
The Evolution of McDonald’s Value Menu: A Response to Consumer Needs
McDonald’s has long been synonymous with affordable, quick meals, but in recent years, the perception of the Golden Arches as a budget-friendly destination has waned. Between 2019 and 2024, McDonald’s menu prices rose by approximately 40%, aligning with increased labor, packaging, and food costs. However, this price creep led to a backlash, with viral posts on platforms like X highlighting $18 Big Mac meals in some locations, prompting McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger to call such cases exceptions rather than the norm.
With fast-food traffic declining—down nearly 1% in the second quarter of 2025 according to Revenue Management Solutions—McDonald’s recognized the need to reengage price-sensitive customers, particularly low-income diners who visit more frequently than their higher-income counterparts. CEO Chris Kempczinski emphasized this during an August 2025 earnings call, noting a “double-digit” drop in low-income consumer visits.
Enter the McValue menu, launched on January 7, 2025, and the reintroduction of Extra Value Meals starting September 8, 2025. These initiatives reflect McDonald’s commitment to restoring its reputation as a value leader. The McValue platform offers a mix of deals, including the popular $5 Meal Deal, a “Buy One, Add One for $1” offer, and app-exclusive promotions. Meanwhile, Extra Value Meals bring back combo deals that save customers up to 15% compared to purchasing items separately.
For more insights on how fast-food chains are adapting to economic pressures, check out our article on Fast-Food Price Wars: How Chains Are Competing for Your Dollar.
What’s New with the McValue Menu?
The McValue menu is designed to offer “all-day savings, every day” at McDonald’s locations nationwide. Here’s a breakdown of its key components:
1. $5 Meal Deal
Originally introduced in June 2024 as a limited-time offer, the $5 Meal Deal has become a cornerstone of McDonald’s value strategy. Due to its popularity, it has been extended through the summer of 2025. The deal includes:
- Choice of entrée: McDouble or McChicken
- Four-piece Chicken McNuggets
- Small fries
- Small soft drink
Priced at approximately $5 (varies by location), this deal provides a complete meal at a budget-friendly price point, appealing to families and individuals alike.
2. Buy One, Add One for $1
A new addition to the McValue platform, this offer allows customers to purchase a full-priced item and add another select item for just $1. Eligible items include fan favorites like the Sausage McMuffin, hash browns, McChicken sandwich, and small fries. This deal provides flexibility, letting customers mix and match to suit their preferences. For example, a customer could buy a Sausage McMuffin and add hash browns for $1, as highlighted by McDonald’s ambassador John Cena.
3. App-Exclusive Offers
McDonald’s is leveraging its mobile app to deliver additional savings. Notable app deals include:
- Free medium fries with a $1 purchase every Friday in 2025
- Free McCrispy chicken sandwich for new app users
- Local deals tailored to specific regions, such as 20% off purchases of $10 or more
These digital promotions encourage customers to download the MyMcDonald’s app, enhancing convenience and engagement.
4. Local Promotions
McDonald’s franchisees are empowered to offer localized deals, ensuring that value offerings resonate with regional preferences. For example, some locations may offer unique meal bundles or discounted items like the McGriddle. These localized promotions add variety and keep the menu fresh for regular customers.
For tips on maximizing savings at fast-food chains, visit our guide on How to Save Money at Your Favorite Restaurants.
The Return of Extra Value Meals: A Nostalgic Comeback
First introduced in 1991 and phased out in 2019, Extra Value Meals are a nostalgic touchstone for McDonald’s fans. Their return on September 8, 2025, marks a significant shift in McDonald’s strategy to recapture budget-conscious diners. These meals combine an entrée, a side (medium fries or hash browns), and a drink, offering approximately 15% savings compared to purchasing items separately.
Featured Extra Value Meals
McDonald’s has curated eight combo meals spanning breakfast, lunch, and dinner:
- Sausage McMuffin with Egg
- Sausage Egg & Cheese McGriddle
- Egg McMuffin
- Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit
- Big Mac
- 10-piece Chicken McNuggets
- Quarter Pounder (original, bacon, or deluxe)
- McCrispy Sandwich (original, deluxe, or spicy deluxe)
To kick off the promotion, McDonald’s is offering limited-time deals:
- $5 Sausage McMuffin with Egg Meal: Includes hash browns and a small coffee
- $8 Big Mac Meal: Includes medium fries and a medium soft drink
Additional promotions planned for November include a $5 Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddles meal and an $8 10-piece Chicken McNuggets meal. These deals are designed to attract customers who may not use the McDonald’s app or engage with existing value menu items.
Why Bring Back Extra Value Meals?
The decision to revive Extra Value Meals stems from McDonald’s recognition that about half of its restaurant transactions do not involve existing promotions. CEO Chris Kempczinski noted on CNBC that these meals are “in the McDonald’s DNA,” evoking a sense of familiarity for customers who associate the chain with numbered combo meals like “the Number One” (Big Mac meal). By reintroducing these deals, McDonald’s aims to simplify the ordering process and enhance perceived value at the drive-thru.
For a deeper dive into McDonald’s menu history, check out our article on The Evolution of McDonald’s Menu: From Dollar Menu to McValue.
Addressing Customer Backlash and Price Perception
The McValue menu and Extra Value Meals come at a time when McDonald’s is working to dispel perceptions of being an expensive fast-food option. In 2024, social media platforms like X amplified complaints about high prices, with some customers comparing McDonald’s costs to those of sit-down restaurants like Applebee’s or Chili’s. A post about an $18 Big Mac meal in Connecticut went viral, prompting McDonald’s to clarify that franchisees set prices for nearly all U.S. restaurants, and such high prices were outliers.
McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger addressed these concerns, stating, “McDonald’s USA is laser-focused on delivering value and affordability for our customers.” The McValue menu and Extra Value Meals are direct responses to this feedback, offering transparent pricing and substantial savings. However, not all customers are satisfied. On platforms like Reddit, some have called the “Buy One, Add One for $1” deal an “illusion of value,” pointing out that local prices for items like the McChicken (e.g., $3.89 in some areas) make the deal less compelling than past promotions like two McChickens for $3.99.
Additionally, fans have expressed disappointment over the absence of the Snack Wrap in the McValue menu announcement, despite its return in July 2025 for $2.99. The Snack Wrap, a fan favorite removed in 2016, was reintroduced in fried chicken Ranch and Spicy flavors due to persistent customer demand, including a petition with nearly 19,000 signatures.
The Competitive Landscape: How McDonald’s Move Impacts the Industry
McDonald’s dominance in the fast-food industry means its pricing strategies often set the tone for competitors. The introduction of the McValue menu and Extra Value Meals has prompted analysts to predict a ripple effect across the sector. UBS analysts noted that McDonald’s focus on value could force rivals like Burger King, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell to deepen their discounts to remain competitive.
For example:
- Burger King matched McDonald’s $5 Meal Deal with its own version in 2024, offering a Whopper Jr., fries, drink, and dessert for $5.
- Domino’s launched a “Best Deal Ever” promotion in August 2025, offering any pizza with any toppings for $9.99.
- KFC has introduced app-based deals, such as a “Cheap as Chips” meal for $21, customizable with additional sides.
This competitive pressure underscores the broader challenge facing fast-food chains: balancing rising commodity costs (e.g., record-high wholesale beef prices) with consumer demand for affordability. McDonald’s ability to leverage its scale and franchisee support gives it an edge, but competitors are quick to follow suit.
Learn more about the fast-food price wars in our analysis of How Fast-Food Chains Are Battling Inflation.
Franchisee Support and Economic Context
The success of McValue and Extra Value Meals hinges on franchisee buy-in, as nearly all U.S. McDonald’s restaurants are franchisee-operated. When the $5 Meal Deal was first introduced in June 2024, some franchisees resisted due to concerns about profit margins. However, increased customer traffic offset these concerns, and franchisees are now more supportive of the expanded value offerings. David Costa, a Florida franchisee with 18 locations, told Yahoo Finance, “There may be a margin challenge, but if we can bring more people in, then it will take care of that.”
The economic context also plays a role. Inflation for food eaten away from home rose 3.8% year-over-year in October 2025, compared to just 1.1% for food eaten at home, pushing more consumers to cook rather than dine out. McDonald’s value initiatives aim to reverse this trend by making fast food a more attractive option.
Beyond Value: McDonald’s Menu Innovations
While the McValue menu and Extra Value Meals focus on affordability, McDonald’s is also introducing new and returning items to keep its menu exciting. Notable additions in 2025 include:
- HERSHEY’S S’mores McFlurry: Available from June 10, 2025, blending vanilla soft serve, HERSHEY’S chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows.
- Lemonade: A permanent menu item featuring real lemon juice and cane sugar, rolled out nationwide in April 2025.
- Daily Double Burger: Reintroduced nationwide in July 2025 after a 13-year pilot phase, featuring two beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, onions, mayo, and tomatoes.
- Squishmallows Happy Meals: Collectible toys with digital experiences, restocked in May 2025.
- Oreo Shamrock McFlurry: Returning February 10, 2025, for a limited run.
These innovations complement the value menu, ensuring McDonald’s appeals to both budget-conscious and novelty-seeking customers. For more on McDonald’s seasonal offerings, read our piece on McDonald’s Limited-Time Menu Items to Try in 2025.
Customer Engagement
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To engage readers, we encourage interaction:
- What’s your favorite McValue deal? Share your thoughts in the comments below or on our likiy.net community forum.
- Download the MyMcDonald’s app for exclusive deals and start saving today.
The Future of McDonald’s Value Strategy
Looking ahead, McDonald’s plans to continue evolving its value offerings. CFO Ian Borden hinted during an October 2024 earnings call that the McValue menu could draw inspiration from international value platforms, such as Australia’s McSmart Menu or the UK’s Saver Menu. These menus feature a range of low-cost items tailored to local tastes, suggesting McDonald’s may further diversify its U.S. offerings.
The company is also addressing operational challenges, such as the E. coli outbreak linked to Quarter Pounder onions in October 2024, which temporarily dented sales. By investing $100 million in marketing and franchisee support, McDonald’s is working to rebuild consumer trust while promoting its value menu.
A New Era of Value at McDonald’s
McDonald’s redesign of its value menu with the McValue platform and the return of Extra Value Meals signals a renewed commitment to affordability and customer satisfaction. By offering deals like the $5 Meal Deal, “Buy One, Add One for $1,” and app-exclusive promotions, McDonald’s is addressing the needs of budget-conscious diners while navigating a competitive and inflationary market. The reintroduction of Extra Value Meals taps into nostalgia while delivering tangible savings, and new menu items keep the brand fresh and exciting.
For fast-food fans, these changes make McDonald’s a compelling choice in 2025. Whether you’re grabbing a $5 Meal Deal or enjoying a limited-time S’mores McFlurry, there’s something for everyone at the Golden Arches. Stay tuned to likiy.net for the latest updates on fast-food deals and menu innovations, and let us know how you’re saving at McDonald’s in the comments!
