McDonald’s launches a $5 Meal Deal as inflation deters consumers

Change is on the way at McDonald's

McDonald’s is set to release a new $5 Meal Deal in an effort to combat a recent drop in customer traffic.

The meal will include a McChicken or a McDouble along with fries and a drink. The Coca-Cola Company has also offered to put up funding to help roll out the deal.

McDonald’s has seen their global sales drop in the past year, according to Bloomberg. In the first quarter of 2024, fast food traffic decreased in the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and Germany.

Prices at the fast food chain have almost doubled since 2014. They believe customers are eating out less often in many big markets, due to inflation. However, with the rising cost of groceries, McDonald’s are trying to lure people back to the chain with affordable deals.

The deal includes a choice of two sandwiches, fries and a drink

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said that the company had to be “laser-focussed on affordability”, in a recent meeting.

Kempczinski also acknowledged the role of the ongoing boycott of McDonalds in the decreased traffic. Customers initiated an online call to boycott the fast food giant last October, after McDonald’s Israeli franchise announced it was providing free meals for Israeli troops involved in the war in Gaza.

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