By Islam El-Sakka
McDonald's is testing a mix-and-match menu across roughly 1,900 U.S. locations in a bid to attract customers who have been eating at home due to tight budgets and high living costs. The fast-food giant began the trial last week, allowing diners to bundle multiple items for a single price or choose from fixed bundles, with a full rollout planned for early 2027.
New Menu Strategy
The move follows earlier efforts this year to revive in-app digital offers and promote low-priced options, which CEO Chris Kempczinski said boosted sales in September after declines in July and August. Kempczinski noted the initial response was encouraging but acknowledged more work is needed to accelerate baseline performance.
Sales Performance and Competitors
Overall, McDonald's reported a 0.2 percent year-on-year sales decline for the July-to-September period. The company's $3 menu launched in April failed to generate significant interest. Rival Wendy's saw U.S. sales drop 7.6 percent in the same quarter, though it also offers a mix-and-match menu and recently introduced a $7.99 value meal. In contrast, Burger King posted an 8.4 percent sales increase, marking six consecutive quarters of growth, after overhauling its Whopper and chicken nuggets.
Consumer Trends and Outlook
A survey of 1,000 U.S. adults by restaurant marketing firm Popmenu found that 67 percent of consumers are eating at home more and dining out less. Kempczinski expects these conditions to persist, saying he does not anticipate a near-term spike in restaurant demand because of ongoing inflation.
