McDonald's is finally rolling out its new Under $3 menu, aiming to give customers more bang for their buck amid soaring everyday prices.
The menu launches April 21 and will feature several of the chain's lowest-priced staples alongside a rotating selection of nationally promoted items.
Morning options will include the $1.50 Sausage McMuffin. For lunch and dinner, the Under $3 Menu will offer a McChicken, McDouble, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, small fries and a small drink.
The chain is also debuting a $4 Breakfast Meal Deal, which includes either a Sausage McMuffin or Sausage Biscuit, hash browns and coffee.
Both offerings are part of McDonald's McValue menu, launched last year to combine national, digital and local deals.
The Under $3 Menu replaces the previous buy-one, get-one-for-$1 promotion, though Meal Deals - bundling a McChicken or McDouble with a 4-piece McNuggets, fries and a drink - will remain.
Although the menu has been in the works for a year, it debuts amid mounting economic pressure.
Gas prices are climbing - AAA lists the national average at $4 per gallon - consumer confidence is slipping and more Americans are on the hunt for value.
McDonald's has long noted that lower-income diners are cutting back - a trend expected to continue - while higher-income consumers maintain their spending.
Franchisees, who approve promotions, have embraced the move: a majority backed last year's lower-priced Extra Value Meals and again voted in favor of the Under $3 Menu, despite potential concerns about profit margins in higher-priced markets.
In some cities, operators may need to slightly lower prices to meet the menu's threshold, according to Technomic Price Pulse, but most locations already have items priced under $3.
The fast-food giant emphasized its commitment to value in a leaked March 9 message to franchisees: 'We have achieved incredible progress together and remain committed to meeting ever-changing customer needs,' according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news.
The Chicago-based chain faced backlash in 2024 when viral posts showed Big Mac combos costing $18 or more, drawing attention to post-pandemic price hikes.
Franchisees had pushed through large increases, and many customers no longer saw the chain as the bargain it once was.
The company responded with $5 meal deals in summer 2024 and buy-one-get-one-for-$1 offers in early 2025.
Now, McDonald's is doubling down on value with the Under $3 Menu, aiming to make low-cost options accessible across the day.
The chain is also debuting a $4 Breakfast Meal Deal, which includes either a Sausage McMuffin or Sausage Biscuit, hash browns and coffee.
McDonald's came under fire in 2024 when a viral social media post showing Big Mac combos costing $18 or more became the poster child for post-pandemic price hikes for fast food.
The new menu will feature items costing $3 and under, including options such as a sausage biscuit or a four-piece Chicken McNuggets.
The new deals - internally dubbed 'McValue 2.0' - are designed to focus on the promotions that work best at bringing budget-sensitive diners back through the doors.
The company and its franchisees spent $85 million in advertising the cheaper combo meal.
This year, they are expected to send $35 million to struggling restaurant operators who took a hit from selling the items in early 2026, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said in a February interview with the WSJ.
Chief executive Chris Kempczinski said earlier this year that the chain is determined to protect its position as the fast-food industry's value leader.
'We absolutely are going to make sure that we are protecting our leadership position in value,' he said during a recent investor call.
Rivals are also rolling out deals.
Panera Bread recently unveiled a $4.99 mix-and-match deal, while Domino's has been aggressively promoting a $9.99 pizza with any toppings.