McDonald’s recently announced it’s toying with the idea of revamping their Dollar Menu to include other price points up to and including five dollars. If the new menu is adopted, the Extra Value Menu would then be eliminated. Now, even their cheap food just got more expensive. This menu switcheroo begs the question, “Why are people still eating fat food – err, fast food, when they could eat healthy for the same price?”

The new offering retitled, “Dollar Menu & More” is currently being tested in five U.S. markets. New prices on the list would include $1, $2 and $5 items. The specific foods slated to be featured on the experimental value menu have not been released but Neil Golden, chief marketing officer for McDonald’s, hinted that more chicken would be included, as well as burgers with extra patties, and the addition of other toppings including bacon. You mean if I want more food, I have to pay more money? Ronald McDonald, you sly devil, you.

Golden explained the reason for the price hike by saying, “The new menu provides a broader range of profitability for restaurants.” Well, of course it does. Even Grimace, the purple bumbling tag-a-long of the McDonaldland gang knows that to stay profitable, companies often have to “revisit” price points and “adjust for higher ingredient costs.” I’m not worried. They seem to be doing okay. In 2024, CNN Money noted the mega burger chain earned over 27 million dollars. I bet that bought some pretty happy meals for shareholders.

In order for the new menu to take effect nationwide, 75 percent of the company’s 180 marketing cooperatives would have to vote YES to approve the change. Well, that’s news. We didn’t realize 14,000 U.S. franchisees got a say in what goes on under those golden arches. Quick, Mayor McCheese, write this down – At the next franchisee party, address these topics:

Why is your food so heavily processed it doesn’t rot?
Why have you tainted the sanctity of oatmeal, and why does it contain 11 weird ingredients?
Why must a cute nugget of chicken start out as pink goo?

Perhaps if top decision-makers spent less time trying to achieve exorbitant profit margins and more time figuring out how to offer food with less sodium, chemicals and fat, then health-conscious consumers would start lovin’ it again. When fast food companies start increasing their prices, it makes the argument, “eating healthy is too expensive,” hard to swallow. McDonalds, don’t let the Hamburglar sneak in and pull a fast one by rearranging the Dollar Menu, instead, hire a dietician, put the salt shaker down and improve it.

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