ST. LOUIS — McDonald’s is making affordability a priority with the launch of their $5 Meal Deal nationwide today. It’s only available for a limited time but, St. Louis customers can look forward to even more deals and savings this season.
What do you get? The $5 Meal Deal includes a choice of a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, small fries, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, and a small soft drink.
Franchisees in the St. Louis area are expected to extend the national deal beyond July 21 at local McDonald’s locations. More details about that deal is expected to be released at a later date.
McDonald’s will also offer “Free Fries Friday” every Friday nationwide through the app, where customers can get a free medium fry with a $1 minimum purchase. For National French Fry Day on July 13, app users can get free fries of any size with no purchase necessary. Local St. Louis franchisees will offer additional free fries on July 12 and leading up to National French Fry Day.
Customers are eating out less, especially in major markets. CEO Chris Kempczinski highlighted in an April investor call that all income groups are seeking value, not just lower-income consumers. Fast-food traffic in the first quarter was flat or down in several countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Australia.
To address this, Kempczinski emphasized the need for a “nationwide value message” to compete on affordability. McDonald’s plans to test a new, larger burger in select markets later this year to gauge its appeal before a wider launch. The company also aims to improve its value perception, competing with rivals like Wendy’s, which offers promotions such as free fries with a medium burger purchase.