McDonalds New Value Meals: Test Prices and Current Deals — Nov. 7, 2026

Last verified: November 7, 2026, 4:19 PM New York, Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC−05:00); November 7, 2026, 21:19 UTC. This reflects the reporting and menu-page check, not the article's scheduled publication time. Availability and prices may change by restaurant.

McDonald's is testing a new generation of low-cost meal bundles in the United States, but the test prices are not a new nationwide guarantee. Executives said during the company's November 4, 2026 earnings call that an eight-week pilot covers approximately 1,900 restaurants, with both choose-your-own combinations and fixed bundles under evaluation. Separately, the chain continues to advertise its established McValue deals, including a $4 breakfast combination, a $5 McChicken meal and a $6 McDouble meal at participating locations.

For customers trying to spend less today, the distinction matters: a reported $3.50–$4 test bundle may appear only at certain stores, while the existing offers are listed on McDonald's U.S. menu pages with price and participation restrictions. The company is targeting a wider new value program in early 2027, but has not announced a final national pilot menu or a firm launch date.

Destaques

• New pilot: About 1,900 U.S. restaurants are testing mix-and-match and fixed-price bundles; exact options and prices vary by location.
• Reported test price: Bloomberg's original reporting described two-item options around $3.50–$4, but McDonald's has not posted one nationwide price for this pilot.
• Current McValue meals: Two $4 breakfast options, a $5 McChicken Meal Deal and a $6 McDouble Meal Deal are advertised, subject to participation and local pricing.
• Before ordering: Select your specific restaurant in the McDonald's app or ordering site, check the item list and final total, and remember that several offers exclude delivery.

What are McDonald's new $3.50 to $4 value meals?

The newest proposal is a simpler entry-level offer rather than a replacement for every existing combo meal. Management described two structures being tested: a mix-and-match bundle in which diners select qualifying items, and a fixed bundle with a predetermined combination. The company said the pilot started in late October and is scheduled to run for eight weeks. It did not publish a comprehensive, store-by-store list of pilot markets or prices in its November 4 earnings release.

Bloomberg reporting published October 29, 2026 described a possible two-item mix-and-match selection involving the McDouble, McChicken, six-piece Chicken McNuggets and fries, for roughly $3.50–$4 depending on the market. A McChicken paired with fries was among the examples subsequently discussed in coverage of the trial. These are reported pilot details, not confirmed nationwide menu terms. Item eligibility, portion sizes and combinations should be checked at the restaurant before purchase; do not assume that all four items can be bought together for that amount.

Executives also said franchisees representing about 4,000 additional restaurants were already introducing similar entry-level bundles. Combined with formal test locations, that places more than 40% of the U.S. restaurant system in some form of entry-level bundle activity, according to management. It does not mean that 40% of restaurants offer an identical $3.50 meal.

What's included in McDonald's current value meals, and how much do they cost?

McDonald's April 2 McValue announcement and current U.S. deals page provide the clearest published starting prices for its established offers. The table distinguishes full meal bundles from a single-item value menu:

McDonald's warns that prices and participation can vary and that some restaurants may charge more than the advertised starting point. The McValue Meal Deals are limited-time offers and generally exclude McDelivery. Taxes and extras can also change what a customer pays at checkout.

What is on the Under $3 Menu?

The company's official McValue menu lists breakfast choices such as a Sausage McMuffin, Sausage Biscuit, Sausage Burrito, hash browns and Premium Roast Coffee. For lunch and dinner, the eligible lineup includes a McDouble, McChicken, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, small fries and a medium soft drink. This tier is for individual items: ordering two or three qualifying items does not automatically make the combined order less than $3.

Are Extra Value Meals the same as McValue Meal Deals?

No. McDonald's also uses the term Extra Value Meals for traditional combos built around main dishes such as the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, 10-piece Chicken McNuggets and McCrispy, typically paired with fries and a drink. Its Extra Value Meals menu lists the available categories, but does not provide one nationwide price for every combo.

The company's U.S. homepage was advertising a $8 Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal in the app, with medium fries and a Coke, as a limited-time participating-restaurant offer not valid for delivery. It also advertised a $5 Sausage McMuffin with Egg Meal with hash browns and small coffee for a limited time. That $5 breakfast combo contains egg and should not be confused with the $4 Sausage McMuffin Breakfast Meal Deal, which is a different bundle.

Promotional price points can expire or change; an $8 price for one featured combo should not be applied automatically to every Big Mac or Quarter Pounder meal. Check the selected restaurant's menu and any offer-specific conditions in the app.

Why is McDonald's testing more affordable bundles?

The experiments follow pressure on U.S. restaurant traffic. In its November 4 third-quarter earnings announcement, McDonald's reported that U.S. comparable sales declined 0.2% in the quarter ended September 30, 2026, while global comparable sales rose 1.5%. Management described improvement later in the quarter after renewed digital promotions and greater emphasis on lower-priced meals, but those results do not guarantee that any particular pilot will be expanded.

The company wants to determine which bundle format customers understand, which restaurants can serve consistently, and whether discounts lead to additional visits instead of simply lowering revenue on orders that would have happened anyway. That commercial question explains why several different offers are running at once instead of a single permanent $3.50 menu across the country.

How can customers find the cheapest McDonald's meal nearby?

1. Set the restaurant first. Choose a location in the McDonald's app or on its U.S. ordering site; avoid relying on a national ad as a final price quote.
2. Check McValue and local deals. Look for $4 breakfast deals or the $5/$6 lunch-and-dinner bundles, then compare any locally displayed new pilot offers.
3. Compare the contents. A two-item $3.50 bundle is not the same quantity of food as a four-part $5 Meal Deal, so compare what you actually want to eat.
4. Verify checkout terms. App-only offers may require rewards enrollment. Taxes, substitutions and delivery charges can alter the final amount; many promotional McValue prices exclude delivery.
5. Check the order time. Breakfast and lunch/dinner deals follow the restaurant's service hours. An item advertised for breakfast may not be offered during the afternoon.

If an offer does not appear for your chosen store, it may be outside the test, not participating in that promotion, or using different local prices. The best immediate evidence is the price and eligible items displayed for that restaurant at ordering time.

Will the new McDonald's value meals go nationwide in 2027?

McDonald's stated goal is early 2027, not a confirmed launch appointment. Management intends to use the eight-week test and franchisee experience to settle on a scalable program. The final items, prices, regions and national launch date remain subject to that decision. Until the company announces them, readers should treat today's $3.50–$4 pilot descriptions as local test reporting, not a promise of identical future prices nationwide.

FAQ: McDonald's new value meals

Does McDonald's have a new $3.50 value meal everywhere?

No. Lower-priced bundles have been reported at selected test restaurants, but McDonald's has not announced a nationwide $3.50 meal available at every location.

What comes with the $5 McChicken Meal Deal?

A McChicken, four Chicken McNuggets, small fries and a small soft drink, where the offer is available. Local prices may be higher and delivery is excluded from the promotional terms.

When will the new value bundles roll out nationwide?

McDonald's is aiming for early 2027. The exact launch date and final national menu were not confirmed at this verification time.

Sources checked

Primary McDonald's information: April 2026 McValue menu announcement, official McValue menu, McDonald’s U.S. deals and restrictions, current U.S. homepage promotions, Extra Value Meals menu and third-quarter 2026 corporate earnings release. Pilot-price details attributed above to original reporting by Bloomberg journalist Daniela Sirtori, republished with byline are distinguished from company-confirmed national offers.