McDonald's new dollar menu for 2018

[RangerPooh]

I try to not eat at McD very often, but it's my parents who take the kids there when babysitting. The McD where we use to live would run a Monday night special with cheeseburger Happy Meals at $1.99 (later raised to $2.19) to bring in families. Worked for us as it was cheap and we would turn it into social hour for a group of us parents.

 

[soccerdad72]

I just wonder why they still insist on calling it a "Dollar Menu" instead of a value menu (or some other equivalent) like most other places use. 2/3 of the items are not a dollar anymore.

And not surprisingly, any time a topic of fast food comes up, 90% of the posts include the phrase 'I never eat there', yet somehow all these fast food restaurants are always thriving.

 

[Erzengel]

They better have that szechuan sauce.

 

[Klayfish]

I knew this was gonna happen. Like clockwork.

I don't think they had much of a choice. Every TV commercial I see is about value menus and who can cram more food into a $5 bag.

 

[Wubar]

I don't think they had much of a choice. Every TV commercial I see is about value menus and who can cram more food into a $5 bag.

Next up is a joint marketing venture between McDs and Home Depot. How many chicken nuggets, fries, and cheeseburgers can you cram into this orange 5 gallon bucket? Only $5!!!!

 

[bcla]

I just wonder why they still insist on calling it a "Dollar Menu" instead of a value menu (or some other equivalent) like most other places use. 2/3 of the items are not a dollar anymore.

And not surprisingly, any time a topic of fast food comes up, 90% of the posts include the phrase 'I never eat there', yet somehow all these fast food restaurants are always thriving.

Well - they haven't really called it their "Dollar Menu" since 2013. I guess they're trying to get back to it. They've tried variations including I believe "Value Menu" as well as the "McPick 2" menu where it's 2 for $2/$2.50, and I remember pricier items at 2 for $5.

 

[mnrose]

I just wonder why they still insist on calling it a "Dollar Menu" instead of a value menu (or some other equivalent) like most other places use. 2/3 of the items are not a dollar anymore.

And not surprisingly, any time a topic of fast food comes up, 90% of the posts include the phrase 'I never eat there', yet somehow all these fast food restaurants are always thriving.

That's because the 80/20 rule applies. 20% of the customers provide 80% of the revenue...that is, they eat there multiple times per week. The other 80% are casual or even rare customers. And, there are also people who NEVER eat there. McDonalds targets that 20%.

 

[bcla]

That's because the 80/20 rule applies. 20% of the customers provide 80% of the revenue...that is, they eat there multiple times per week. The other 80% are casual or even rare customers. And, there are also people who NEVER eat there. McDonalds targets that 20%.

Value menus don't really even make these places a whole lot money. I mean - that $5 sandwich doesn't really cost them that much more in materials and labor than a $1.50 sandwich.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I just wonder why they still insist on calling it a "Dollar Menu" instead of a value menu (or some other equivalent) like most other places use. 2/3 of the items are not a dollar anymore.

And not surprisingly, any time a topic of fast food comes up, 90% of the posts include the phrase 'I never eat there', yet somehow all these fast food restaurants are always thriving.

The article I read said they tested/polled customers and Dollar Menu won out.

The exact quote from the article which in turn was a quote from the person who oversees the U.S. business: "It tested other names, but customers liked the Dollar Menu one best"

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-mcdonalds-value-menu-20171204-story.html

Certainly I've seen some of the value items consistently priced at different locations, including $1 coffee or $1 large soft drinks. However, many of the items I see vary a lot. I go to some locations that have "premium" prices. For instance I've seen some places with $2.99 Happy Meals, while the one closest to my place charges over $5 for a hamburger Happy Meal.

Apparently they're going to emphasize a $1/$2/$3 pricing model, although I suppose that may be different if a franchise owner doesn't want to participate or limits items that are at these price points. For instance I remember back in 2013 I was in Manhattan, where the then "Dollar Menu" items at most McDonald's were something like $1.79 or $2 because of the location.

To the bolded:

The article I read said this: "The "$1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu" will become a permanent part of the McDonald's nationwide menu starting Jan. 4" I don't know if they are meaning nationwide corporate stores only or if they mean nationwide corporate and franchised stores as well.

 

[bcla]

To the bolded:

The article I read said this: "The "$1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu" will become a permanent part of the McDonald's nationwide menu starting Jan. 4" I don't know if they are meaning nationwide corporate stores only or if they mean nationwide corporate and franchised stores as well.

Well - I understand that McDonald's would prefer that they increase the proportion of franchised locations, along with franchise owners participating in all these promotions. Of course they encourage their franchisees to participate, but I don't know if they can force them to. From what I've heard, the majority of franchisees participate in some way, but they might change the prices a bit.

 

[lorimay]

Sometimes I just gotta have McDonalds fries, hot right out of the fryer, nothing like them! YUM!
Once a year a filet o fish, I know, but I love it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well - I understand that McDonald's would prefer that they increase the proportion of franchised locations, along with franchise owners participating in all these promotions. Of course they encourage their franchisees to participate, but I don't know if they can force them to. From what I've heard, the majority of franchisees participate in some way, but they might change the prices a bit.

Usually that depends on the contract for franchising. Some companies have stricter franchise rules and some do not. I don't know if McDonald's has a clause regarding something like this or not.

 

[bcla]

Usually that depends on the contract for franchising. Some companies have stricter franchise rules and some do not. I don't know if McDonald's has a clause regarding something like this or not.

I heard that the franchises are around 81% of the locations, but McDonald's would love for it to be closer to 95%. If they did anything I think it would be to try and sell some existing company owned locations.

I know it's theoretically possible to drop a franchise for performance, for not participating in enough promotions, etc, but I've seen some locations that look really sad but somehow stay in business. It's been no secret that some franchise owners complained that they felt pressured into carrying lower priced items which they believed were affecting their profitability.

I don't know exactly what the breakdown is of where they have company owned restaurants. I suspect that many company owned locations might be flagship locations in high profile areas where the real estate costs might scare off a franchise owner. But they might be willing to have a company owned loss leader where a lot of people will see it.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

As a child, I used to LOVE eating the apple danish. I wonder if that will ever come back.

 

[bcla]

As a child, I used to LOVE eating the apple danish. I wonder if that will ever come back.

Wasn't it usually reheated? Yeah - I miss that.

 

[wenrob]

As a child, I used to LOVE eating the apple danish. I wonder if that will ever come back.

I miss the deep fried apple pie that you’d burn the crap out of your mouth on every single time. The replacement was never the same.

 

[kaddjr]

Wasn't it usually reheated? Yeah - I miss that.

Yes, it was put into a little steamer to be heated.

 

[shoney]

I would rather eat a filet o fish than chick fil a. They opened here recently and I just don’t get it. Nothing special that I would ever want to go back for.

I’ll take wendy’s over most fast food

 

[jdb in AZ]

I'm sticking with Chick-Fil-A.

We went to a Chick-Fil-A in Virginia a couple of weeks ago. Their grill was broken. ahem. But I've also been to McDonald's when their chocolate shake machine wasn't working. So much for "fast" food.