In the battle to attract inflation-weary consumers, McDonald’s $5 meal deal has proven to be a significant booster for foot traffic.
Since the launch of the meal deal in late June, McDonald’s has experienced a notable rise in restaurant visits, as reported by foot traffic analytics firm Placer.ai. On the day the deal launched, Tuesday, June 25, the chain saw its busiest Tuesday of the year, with visits up by over 8.0% compared to the year-to-date average. The report also noted similar patterns in foot traffic on subsequent days, further indicating that the bundle was appealing to customers. By July 2, McDonald’s continued to surpass its in-store visit averages, highlighting the success of its promotion.
The $5 deal, available for another two weeks, includes a choice of a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, four-piece chicken McNuggets, small fries, and a small drink. Originally, McDonald’s had planned to promote it for just one month.
Additionally, McDonald’s has another ongoing promotion where customers spending at least $1 on Fridays can get a free order of french fries. This deal is available every Friday through the end of 2024, though purchases must be made through the McDonald’s app.
McDonald’s is not alone in seeing increased customer visits due to discount promotions. Other casual dining chains such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Starbucks, and Chili’s are also experiencing more in-store traffic, spurred by their respective discount deals, according to Placer.ai.
Just this week, Arby’s joined the discount competition with a $9 bundle. This followed Sonic’s announcement of a permanent $1.99 value menu. In June, Taco Bell introduced a $7 Luxe Cravings Box along with its $5 Taco Discovery Box and Cravings Value Menu.
In late May, Burger King announced that its $5 “Your Way Meal” bundle would be available for a longer period than McDonald’s promotion. Earlier that month, Wendy’s launched its $3 breakfast bundle and has since introduced a $5 combo called the “Biggie Bag,” which includes a Frosty.
These promotions reflect the efforts of various retail giants to attract consumer dollars in an inflation-affected economy.