McDonald's "Extra Value" Meals

[disneychrista]

I ran across the following photograph on an article about things from the 90's. I worked at McDonald's when the value meals were first introduced. For $2.99 you could get a Big Mac, large fry and medium drink. Now you can't even get the fries for $2.99. Current price of the Big Mac value meal at my local McDonald's is $9.79. Just a piece of nostalgia.

 

[bcla]

They're pretty much eliminated the Dollar Menu too. Even after the main menu items were gone, I'd go with the kiddo and 4 pc Chicken McNuggets were $1 at most locations around here.

There was even a time when the app deal specials were really good. Like $1 for an sandwich once a day, including the then new fresh Quarter Pounder with cheese. Then that deal changed to once per week, and then went away. The last time I saw anything that seemed worthwhile was maybe the BOGO . But then I've gone on the road and the local deals were way better. The best local deal I got (ended about 6 months ago) was $6 for any Quarter Pounder meal, which included the Smoky BLT Quarter Pounder, which was typically $7-8 on its own.

I think it was working OK when not too many people were using the app deals, but after a while I'm thinking stores were complaining.

Even then, there's an a la carte price for beverages that's pretty reasonable. It was 99 cents for any size, but now it's usually $1.29. Might be reasonable with another deal.

 

[tvguy]

They still have the $1, $2, $3 value menu. Did a road trip, California to Texas and stopped at a McDonalds for the first time in years, got a couple of McDoubles for $6. Perfect to eat in the car.
https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/full-menu/123dollarmenu.html

 

[bcla]

They still have the $1, $2, $3 value menu. Did a road trip, California to Texas and stopped at a McDonalds for the first time in years, got a couple of McDoubles for $6. Perfect to eat in the car.
https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/full-menu/123dollarmenu.html

They call it that, but I'm looking at what's on it at my closest location. The prices aren't exactly truth in advertising.

McChicken $2.99
McDouble $2.89
Small fries $2.49
4 piece Chicken McNuggets $2.69

These were all items that I remember used to be $1 less than 10 years ago.

 

[DodgerGirl]

My parents used to get Extra Value Meals when we would eat at McDonald's because my mom ate Big Macs and Dad had Quarter Pounders because they would get large fries that my mom would share with me. But when McDonald's did away with Extra Value Meals and replaced them with the Mini-Meals I think McDonald's was trying out new ideas for food deals to save money and allowed guests to sweeten the deal. Because way back in 1961 McDonald's debuted All-American Meals which were cheaper but then they debuted the Super Size Meal in 1984 and people thought these deals were the best thing McDonald's invented since sliced bread. But now if you go to McDonald's today some of the deals are just expensive. Like can you imagine paying big prices for 20 Chicken McNuggets and who eats 20 Chicken McNuggets? If you are sharing with your best friend this deal may work. I also noticed that they used to have Extra Value Meals for breakfast and now a Egg McMuffin is now pricey even if you order one from the Dollar Menu and McDonald's should bring back Extra Value Meals to help gain more customers again

 

[mom2rtk]

They should promote them as extra profit meals now.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I wish places would bring back those prices! I did not realize McD had gotten so expensive. The last time I have been to McD was back in 2020 when we were on vacation.

 

[prairie_girl]

They should promote them as extra profit meals now.

How dare a company want to make a profit!



I remember in high school I could order a two cheeseburger meal supersized with a Coke for $5.

 

[Lilsia]

How dare a company want to make a profit!



I remember in high school I could order a two cheeseburger meal supersized with a Coke for $5.

Nobody has a problem with companies making money. But $2B in profit, poorly paying your employees, and having high costs is greed, pure and simple.

 

[mom2rtk]

How dare a company want to make a profit!



I remember in high school I could order a two cheeseburger meal supersized with a Coke for $5.

Just to be clear, you're defending the $10 fast food meal?

 

[disney castle days]

Everything is so much cheaper on the app. As a broke college kid, I have gotten whole meals for under $5 on the app before. They are always running deals or various discounts.

 

[prairie_girl]

Just to be clear, you're defending the $10 fast food meal?

No, not necessarily, I just made a little joke because every company wants to make a profit. Companies can definitely be evil for the way they go about it, but they’re still doing what they were designed to do.

 

[nw6675]

I noticed today that our local McDs just raised all of their prices. Still cheaper than BK or Wendy's, but it was a noticeable change.

@prairie_girl I'm ducking with you on the profit comments.

 

[disneychrista]

Like can you imagine paying big prices for 20 Chicken McNuggets and who eats 20 Chicken McNuggets?

The 20 piece McNuggets are actually a very good deal $6.00 vs $4.99 for the 10 piece. A few years ago is was one cent more for the 20 piece vs 10 piece.

Everything is so much cheaper on the app. As a broke college kid, I have gotten whole meals for under $5 on the app before. They are always running deals or various discounts.

That is the way to do it. It is usually cheaper to get the items separate then in a meal if you are using the app. There is usually free fries (once per week) plus on Free Fry Friday and drinks at 1.29.

Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal is $8.99 here but if you order separately with free fries you can pay $6.89. Plus if you join the rewards program you can get other free items.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Back when Kroc opened his first restaurant, about 1 mile from my house, I made up my own value meal. Burger 15, fries 10, chocolate shake 20. Total, 45 cents. If I didn't have enough money, then a Coke in place of the shake, total, 35 cents.

 

[dioxide45]

There are very few deals at fast food anymore. If you want to try and save anything, you pretty much have to go through the app and take advantage of whatever deal they have. So you may not get what you really want and save money. We quite often see 20% or 25% off in the app, so that kind of rolls back the prices a couple years. We spend as much today on two combo meals at fast food as what we would have paid for two meals out at a full service restaurant 15-20 years ago. Our minimum check at a table service these days is at least $50 with no alcohol. Soda at a restaurant is now pretty much $3.50 and I can't beleive how much soda is in the grocery store compared to just pre pandemic.

 

[Living42Day]

I can't believe the McChicken is just under $3.00 rather than the $1.00 it was back in 2021. Crazy how prices have gotten so high. For three people right before a trip, I paid $40....for Taco Bell. The same meals probably cost $25ish a year ago. Guess we'll start limiting fast food even more than only a couple times a year.

 

[amcnj]

I remember when I was young they ran a tv ad campaign touting that you would get change back from your dollar, when you purchased two hamburgers, french fries and a coke. If I remember correctly, the total cost was 80 cents. But, I also remember when they raised the hamburger price from 15 cents to 18 cents.

 

[mom2rtk]

I agree fast food prices are out of control. We limit our purchases to deals we find on the app. Cheap-ish drinks at McDonalds ($1 drinks now $1.49 but use 20% off a $2 purchase) and BOGO deals at Subway. I do still support our small local Chinese restaurant, as their price increases have been modest.

 

[nw6675]

We use DoorDash and only buy when there is a freebie. Today was a free chicken sandwich with a $15 (or maybe $20) order - anyways, the "free" item's cost counts toward the minimum before the discount so it ended up being a great deal.