Today, I got an invitation to take a market research web survey all about my fast food habits. I’m not a big fast food eater, but with the recent relocation and all, I have eaten out at fast food joints a little more lately. Anyway, once my general habits were assessed the crux of the survey became obvious, McDonald’s is considering a revamp of their Dollar Menu.
In the survey I was presented with the following scenario:
McDonald’s is pulling its Dollar Menu. In its stead you can have 1 of 3 options:
- The same items in the Dollar Menu offered at $1.19 and will now be called the McValue Menu. The items include:
Double Cheeseburger
McChicken
Small French Fries
Small Soft Drink
Sundae
2 Apple Pies
Side Salad
Fruit & Yogurt Parfait - A combination of some current Dollar Menu items (like Small French Fries or Small Soft Drink, but not Double Cheeseburger) and other new items all priced at $1 on a new Dollar Menu. Instead of the Double Cheeseburger, this Dollar Menu will have a new double burger – with two patties but only 1 slice of cheese.
- A group of items with different value prices ranging from $1.00 to $1.49 featuring the following:
Double Cheeseburger at $1.19
Side Salad at $1.19
Snack Wraps at $1.39
Spicy Snack Wrap at $1.49
All other current Dollar Menu items including McChicken, Small French Fries, Small Soft Drink, Sundae, 2 Apple Pies, and Fruit & Yogurt Parfait are still at $1.
You can see where they’re going with this, right? Price inflation. I only eat at McDonald’s because of the Dollar Menu. And, I always get the double cheeseburger.
I chose option 2. They asked me what would happen if they then implemented this, and I basically told them I’d never eat there again.
Fight the power. Fight Dollar Menu inflation.