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2d ago

McDonald’s to Cut Combo Prices 15% Below A La Carte, Starting Next Month

The shift follows the CEO’s admission that high menu prices damaged McDonald’s value image.

The logo of the fast food restaurant McDonald's is displayed outside a branch of the restaurant, on July 21, 2025 in Minehead, England.
A burger and fries are seen in a tray inside a McDonald's in Bangkok, Thailand September 25, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo
Image
In 2023, an $18 Big Mac combo meal went viral, sparking a debate that the chain has drifted from its affordability roots.

Overview

  • McDonald’s and its U.S. franchisees agreed to price eight popular combo meals about 15% below the cost of the items purchased separately, with the lower prices taking effect in September.
  • The company will provide financial support to franchisees that implement the reduced combo pricing, according to reporting first published by The Wall Street Journal.
  • Additional value promotions are planned in the coming months, including a $5 breakfast deal and an $8 Big Mac and McNugget special, alongside the return of the Extra Value Meals branding.
  • CEO Chris Kempczinski recently said menu-board pricing is the biggest driver of customers’ value perceptions and acknowledged that recent prices have pushed many combinations above $10.
  • The effort builds on last year’s limited $5 meal that briefly stabilized sales and responds to customer backlash that intensified after a widely shared $18 Big Mac combo in 2023.