McDonald’s debuts $5 Meal Deal and Free Fries Friday: ‘We heard our fans loud and clear’

Despite years of inflation and rising food costs, McDonald’s customers can expect good value from their Value Meals again.

As the prices of fast food rise, McDonald’s, which prides itself on value, is launching its hotly anticipated $5 Meal Deal next week, as the chain begins offering more ways to save exclusively for app users.

“We heard our fans loud and clear – they’re looking for even more great value from us, and this summer, that’s exactly what they’ll get,” the US president of McDonald’s Joe Erlinger said in a statement.

“Value has always been part of our DNA. We’re focused on living up to that legacy and offering delicious, affordable options customers can enjoy any time they walk through our doors, go through our drive-thru thru, or place an order through our app.”

Starting June 25, patrons can score a meal for just $5 under the Golden Arches, with their choice of a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, a small fry, four-piece nugget and a small fountain beverage at select locations.

For McDonald’s loyalists who have downloaded the app, they can enjoy the company’s Free Fries Friday offering — a free medium fry with $1 minimum purchase — until the end of the year.

Locations across the US will also be serving up neighborhood-specific deals for locals, which differ from city to city. In Memphis, Tennessee, fast food fanatics can get a Buy One Get One on $1 breakfast sammies, and customers in Western New York can order up a mix and match McChicken and McDouble menu item for just under $4.

“Affordable prices and creating memorable moments are what McDonald’s is all about,” John Palmaccio, McDonald’s owner-operator and Operator’s National Advertising Fund Chair, said in a statement.

“As small business owners, it’s our responsibility to deliver great value to our local communities when they need it most.”

But the $5 value menu — which was slammed as “skimpy” by patrons who prefer a supersized deal — has been met with vitriol from the company’s franchisees, who decried the markdowns would not yield enough profits to sustain the businesses longterm.

“There simply is not enough profit to discount 30% for this model to be sustainable,” the National Owners Association wrote in a May letter. “It necessitates a financial contribution by McDonald’s.”

Fast food rivals have attempted to fry their competition with their own renditions of value meals in recent months. Wendy’s, for one, announced the chain’s limited-time $3 value meal last month, while Burger King was reportedly planning to launch its own $5 value deal.