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McDonald’s plans new value bundles next year after US traffic falls in third quarter

McDonald's plans to introduce new value-oriented meal bundles early next year following a disappointing third quarter defined by lower customer traffic at U.S. restaurants. Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski stated that the company recently launched an eight-week test of mix-and-match and fixed-price bundles across nearly 1,900 locations, featuring options such as a McChicken sandwich and small fries priced at $3.50. The broader push for cheaper menu items comes as consumers struggle with the high cost of living and fast-food discount wars intensify.

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⚡ Key Developments & Real-Time Context
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  • ✓ McDonald's plans to introduce new value-oriented meal bundles early next year after a disappointing third quarter featuring lower traffic at U.S. restaurants.
  • ✓ Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski stated that the company began an eight-week test of mix-and-match and fixed-price bundles at 1,900 U.S. restaurants.
  • ✓ Around 4,000 franchisees launched meal bundles of their own without waiting for the corporate test results.
  • ✓ Customer traffic dropped 4.6% during the quarter.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 22 independent reporting domains (95% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

McDonald's launched an eight-week test of mix-and-match and fixed-price value bundles in nearly 1,900 U.S. restaurants ahead of a planned rollout.

Live updates

  1. McDonald's Plans New Value Bundles After US Traffic Slips

    McDonald's plans to introduce new value-oriented meal bundles early next year following a disappointing third quarter defined by lower customer traffic at U.S. restaurants. Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski stated that the company recently launched an eight-week test of mix-and-match and fixed-price bundles across nearly 1,900 locations, featuring options such as a McChicken sandwich and small fries priced at $3.50. The broader push for cheaper menu items comes as consumers struggle with the high cost of living and fast-food discount wars intensify.

    Why it matters

    U.S. same-store sales and customer traffic declined during the third quarter as consumers pulled back on spending amid inflationary pressures. While rising order sizes cushioned the slump, the drop in visits prompted the fast-food chain to rethink its affordable menu offerings. Approximately 4,000 franchisees bypassed corporate testing timelines entirely to deploy their own meal bundles.

    What is confirmed

    • McDonald's plans to introduce new value-oriented meal bundles early next year after a disappointing third quarter featuring lower traffic at U.S. restaurants.
    • Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski stated that the company began an eight-week test of mix-and-match and fixed-price bundles at 1,900 U.S. restaurants.
    • Around 4,000 franchisees launched meal bundles of their own without waiting for the corporate test results.
    • Customer traffic dropped 4.6% during the quarter.

    Still unconfirmed

    • McDonald's plans to launch a national affordable menu program in early 2027.

    What to watch next

    • Results and consumer response from the ongoing eight-week value bundle test across 1,900 restaurants.
    • Official corporate announcements regarding the timeline and composition of the national value menu program in early 2027.
    Sources used for this update (19)
    1. CNBC — McDonald's is about to report earnings. Here's what to expect
    2. Yahoo Finance — McDonald’s Q3 sales seen slowing as spending cools, now value, drinks in focus
    3. AP News — Visits to US McDonald’s locations falls as customers struggle with the high cost of living
    4. Bloomberg.com — McDonald’s US Slump Cushioned by Increase in Order Sizes
    5. Nation’s Restaurant News — McDonald’s U.S. same-store sales decline on weak traffic
    6. WRAL — McDonald's plans new value bundles next year after US traffic falls in third quarter
    7. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — McDonald's plans new value bundles next year after U.S. traffic falls in third quarter
    8. qz.com — McDonald's is testing new value bundles after U.S. traffic slips in Q3
    9. MarketWatch — McDonald’s tests new value menu as fast-food discount wars heat up
    10. CBS News — McDonald's plans to cook up cheaper menu items in move to heat up sales
    11. USA Today — McDonald's pushes cheaper meals as customers cut back
    12. www.cbsnews.com — McDonald's plans to cook up cheaper menu items in move to ...
    confidence 95%
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