McDonald's Value Menu Struggles Amid Franchisee Pricing Discrepancies

McDonald's has been struggling with its value menu in the US, which is its second-largest business. The menu of 10 items for under $3 each has not delivered what management expected, leading to a 19.3% loss over the past year as of September 23, 2026.

According to Trefis, part of the problem lies with franchisees not charging the recommended prices. McDonald's gives franchisees suggested prices when launching a new menu, but restaurants still set their own prices. Management estimates that more than a third of US restaurants did not follow this guidance.

The value menu was introduced as a way to boost sales and customer visits, but it has fallen short of expectations. In fact, management said the value problems explained about two-thirds of the quarter's US shortfall in customer visits against its own expectations.

US restaurants bring in two-fifths of McDonald's revenue, with $10.5 billion generated in fiscal 2025. However, this segment grew only 1% that year, compared to 8.0% growth for International Operated Markets.