McDonald’s Plans to Reduce Combo Meal Prices Amid Rising Inflation

SAN FRANCISCO — It’s no secret, fast food places are getting more expensive. McDonald’s has also realized that and now says they’re lowering prices to drive more traffic to the company. 

Combo prices will eventually end up being 15% less than the total cost of buying each combo item separately, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

The change up comes as McDonald’s has been adding to their menu after two consecutive quarters of sinking sales, according to CNN. That trend was broken by reintroducing the Snack Wrap to the menu, introducing spicy chicken and chicken tenders, and marketing for the Minecraft movie, the live-action video game movie starring Jack Black which grossed almost $1 billion worldwide.

Value items and combos have also made a resurgence at the chain with the $2.99 price of a Snack Wrap running through the rest of the year, the $5 meal deal and their buy one, add one for $1 deal on certain menu items. 

Prices vary by location, resulting in the company coming under fire online for having an $18 Big Mac meal last year. 

The WSJ reports McDonald’s is offering “financial support” to locations lowering their prices. 

CEO Chris Kempczinski previously said low- and middle-income customers weren’t spending at McDonald’s due to high prices and general inflation. It prompted the company to freshen up the menu with new items, value deals and promotions. 

He also said consumers are often seeing combo meals costing more than $10, which is “shaping value perceptions in a negative way,” and they “got to get that fixed.”

Inflation and the uncertainty around the U.S. economy have customers wary to spend at fast-food chains, according to the WSJ. So much so, traffic to restaurants has fallen nearly 2% this year and is down nearly 3% for fast-food spots, according to market-researcher Black Box Intelligence. They forecast 2025 to be a stronger year thanks to trends, but it’s still uncertain.