In the United States, McDonald’s is more aggressive than ever in terms of prices – HRImag: HOTELS, RESTAURANTS and INSTITUTIONS

After declines in turnover observed in 2023 and 2024 due to inflation which weighs on consumers and an increase in food prices, the best-known American fast food chain in the world is strengthening its pricing strategy this year. start of the year. On Tuesday, McDonald’s launched a $5 menu in the United States with a major marketing campaign led by John Cena, the famous WWE wrestler. An initiative that wants to attract customers in an economic period that is still uncertain.

The McValeur as a standard

The McValeur menu will now offer an option where the customer can purchase products for $1 after purchasing one at the regular price, which is in addition to the $5 trio launched last summer. The strategy of encouraging additional purchases of high-margin products is gaining momentum.

McValeur’s national rollout helps “enhance McDonald’s broader image as a value-driven brand,” according to David Henkes, senior director of Technomic, the food industry research and consulting firm interviewed by CNN Business. “Restaurant traffic remains challenging, and this really represents a line of thinking that value will continue to be important to the consumer for the foreseeable future,” he analyzes.

This new menu category is McDonald’s most significant “value” effort since 2018, when the company priced some items between $1 and $3. But the dollar menu proved relatively unpopular compared to the $5 menu, which was much more successful according to David Henkes. Customers weren’t necessarily looking for cheap food, but rather better value for money.

According to Danilo Gargiulo, restaurant specialist at Bernstein Investment Research, “it will be at least during the first six months of 2025 that we see high promotions in fast food chains, but it is likely that it will be throughout the year 2025”.

In Canada, for the moment, in the chain’s restaurants, items are offered daily at $4 (before taxes). And the McValeur trios, which cost $5.79, include a fries, a drink and a choice of sandwiches. Coffee is also offered for $1 every day.

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