McDonald’s ‘McValue 2.0’ Could Bring $3 Menu Items And $4 Breakfast Combos
For a chain that practically invented fast-food value, McDonald’s seems determined to prove it still has the formula.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the burger giant is preparing to roll out a new wave of lower-priced items this April. Internally dubbed “McValue 2.0,” the move reportedly includes a lineup of $3 individual items and a $4 breakfast bundle that could become one of the most aggressive morning deals the brand has offered in years.
The breakfast combo reportedly pairs a McMuffin, hash brown, and coffee together for $4. If the pricing holds, it would mark the kind of value play we haven’t really seen since the Dollar Menu era dominated drive-thrus.
Meanwhile, the $3 lineup would feature items like a 4-piece Chicken McNuggets and a sausage biscuit. The new approach would replace the buy-one-add-one-for-$1 promotion that McDonald’s introduced last year as part of its earlier value strategy.
The move continues a long run of experiments the chain has tested since mid-2024, when executives noticed lower-income customers starting to pull back on spending. That observation sparked a string of new value programs, including the $5 Meal Deal, the launch of the McValue platform in early 2025, and the return of Extra Value Meals later in the year.
And the strategy appears to be working. McDonald’s recently reported 6.8% same-store sales growth in the fourth quarter, with CEO Chris Kempczinski crediting value-focused offerings for helping bring back budget-conscious customers.
“McDonald’s is not going to get beat on value and affordability. It’s in our DNA,” Kempczinski told analysts earlier this year.
The timing makes sense. Gas prices are climbing, wallets are tight, and nearly every fast-food chain is battling for diners who are more price-sensitive than ever.
McDonald’s hasn’t officially confirmed the new pricing yet, but the reported memo to franchisees signals that the company is continuing to evolve its value strategy as consumer habits shift.
If the rollout goes through, McValue 2.0 could be the next step in fast food’s ongoing value wars—and possibly the closest thing we’ve seen to the old-school Dollar Menu mindset in years.
