McDonald's plans cheaper menu options and bundles after weak third-quarter sales

McDonald's plans to add more lower-priced menu items next year to win back cost-conscious customers, CEO Christopher Kempczinski said Wednesday on an analyst call. The chain recently began an eight-week pilot testing new affordable options and mix-and-match bundles at 1,900 U.S. locations, and it aims to launch the offerings nationally in 2027. The announcement followed a third quarter in which comparable U.S. sales grew just 0.2%, down from 2.4% a year earlier, and foot traffic at U.S. stores fell 4.6%, according to analytics firm Placer.ai. Kempczinski acknowledged the company had not met the expectations of low-income diners seeking great entry-level value. The comments came a day after the U.S. midterm elections, where cost-of-living concerns were prominent.

The right-leaning Washington Times leads with new value-oriented meal bundles early next year after a disappointing third quarter and lower restaurant traffic, and its brief excerpt includes no quotes or figures. Its headline keeps the focus on bundles and traffic. The left-leaning CBS News leads with the push for cheaper items to reach inflation-weary customers, quotes Kempczinski's admission that the company did not land its offer for low-income diners, cites the 0.2% sales growth and 4.6% traffic drop, and ties the news to midterm affordability debates and gasoline prices. Both sides agree on the bundles, the weak quarter and the lower traffic. They differ in emphasis: the right centers sales slippage, while the left centers cost-of-living politics and the shortfall with low-income diners. CBS also points to a 2027 national launch, which the other excerpts do not mention. Alternative outlet AP closely matches the right's headline and framing.