McDonald’s is making a noticeable change to the way it promotes value at its U.S. restaurants, replacing its current McValue menu with a simpler set of 10 items that each start under $3 when the new lineup rolls out April 21. The fast-food company said the redesign follows a broader push across the industry to emphasize affordability as customers compare prices and weigh what they spend away from home.
The company said the refreshed McValue menu will feature 10 items that each cost under $3, with the menu structure split between breakfast and later-day options. Among the breakfast offerings, McDonald’s said the list includes hash browns and a Sausage McMuffin. For the rest of the day, it cited items such as a small order of fries and a McDouble burger.
McDonald’s also described the change as a shift toward simpler value-menu messaging and more flexibility for customers. It said the update responds to feedback that customers wanted better value and more flexibility in the morning, adding that half of the items on the under-$3 menu are breakfast items. The new standardized selection will replace the current McValue approach, which lets customers choose from limited $1 items if they purchase a regular-priced item.
Company officials framed the update as part of a continuing effort to strengthen customers’ view of value and affordability. Alyssa Buetikofer, McDonald’s chief marketing and customer experience officer for McDonald’s USA, told The Associated Press that “Value matters more than ever to our customers, and we take that responsibility seriously.” Buetikofer said McDonald’s has improved customers’ perceptions of value and affordability since 2024.
McDonald’s’ value strategy is rolling out alongside other promotional moves and menu changes. The company said it introduced a $5 Meal Deal in June 2024 and that it will add a $4 Breakfast Meal Deal on April 21. McDonald’s also said it debuted the McValue menu in January 2025 and, last fall, brought out Extra Value Meals that promise a 15% discount for a bundled meal compared with buying items individually.
The industry context is a competitive one, with other chains using value-menu formats as well. The Associated Press report noted that Taco Bell launched a Luxe Value Menu in January with 10 items priced at $3 or less, and Panera Bread introduced its first value menu in February with 10 items priced at $4.99 each. It also said Wendy’s revamped its Biggie Deals value menu in January, and KFC added $5 bowls to its U.S. menu.
Within McDonald’s system, franchisees set their own pricing, but the company said most locations are expected to adopt the change. Scott Rodrick, a McDonald’s franchisee in California, said the simplified approach should improve ordering because “The value proposition is super clear — no deep explanation or mental gymnastics needed to understand where value is on my menu board.” Rodrick said the changes received broad support from franchisees and that most U.S. stores will offer them, noting that around 95% of McDonald’s U.S. stores are owned and operated by franchisees.
Outside analysts said the effort reflects how “value” has become a baseline promotional expectation for quick-serve restaurants, even as companies continue to sell higher-priced items. Roger Beahm, an emeritus professor of marketing at Wake Forest University’s School of Business, said, “In all retail, including quick-serve restaurants, ‘value’ has become a promotional expectation,” adding that the term risks overuse as customers adjust and stop being surprised by deals. Beahm said that if everything is positioned as value, “then can anything really be a value?”
Other marketing research perspectives also emphasized that focusing solely on low prices can limit long-term appeal. Jennifer Fritch, an assistant professor of marketing at Arcadia University, said the market is crowded and that turning food into a commodity by focusing only on price is not enough for long-term results. Fritch said, “If it’s just cheap food, that’s not a winning long-term strategy,” adding that the “list of demands and list of expectations is higher than it has ever been,” and that cost alone is insufficient to drive sales.
While value-driven promos may help traffic, the report also described risks that could pressure pricing strategies further. It said Revenue Management Solutions, a restaurant consulting company, reported that customer traffic at U.S. fast-food restaurants rose less than 1% in February compared with the same month a year earlier, but that traffic was down 2% during the last three months of 2025 and in January. The company warned that higher gas prices due to the Iran war likely affected fast-food traffic in March, which could increase pressure for chains to offer even more value.