Everyone loves a good cheap meal every now and then. The popularity of dollar menus has been very carefully documented and these days, every fast food chain from BK to Taco Bell now offers dollar menus.
McDonald’s Dollar Menu has been around for a long time and although it doesn’t change very often, it has seen some minor changes over the years. The Dollar Menu, introduced in the early 2000s, was a game-changer for the fast-food industry. It was a strategic move by McDonald’s to attract budget-conscious customers and offer them a variety of options at an unbeatable price. Over the years, competitors have tried to emulate this success, but the Dollar Menu remained a hallmark of the McDonald’s brand.
Until recently.
Dollar Menu & More
One of the most pivotal moments in the history of the Dollar Menu was when McDonald’s decided to rebrand it as the “Dollar Menu & More.” This wasn’t just a simple name change; this was a shift in the company’s approach to its value offerings.
While the original Dollar Menu only included items priced at one dollar or less, the revamped “Dollar Menu & More” featured items priced above a dollar – but still within a budget-friendly range. Some items were priced at $1, $2, or even $3.
The original $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu did feature four items at $1 each: a sausage burrito, the McChicken, a cheeseburger, and a soft drink of any size.
Fast-forward to today: what do we have on the dollar menu?
McDonalds $1 Menu
As you know, prices will vary depending on location.
I first went to 1133 N La Brea Ave McDonalds in West Hollywood Los Angeles to collect dollar menu prices below.
Their dollar menu was pretty limited:
- Sausage Biscuit – $2.29
- Sausage McGriddles – $2.99
- Hash Browns – $2.99
I then went to 690 Alameda St in Los Angeles. Their dollar menu was:
- Sausage Biscuit – $1.59
- Sausage McGriddles – $3.59
- Hash Browns – $2.69
I drove to another location: 1800 S Western Avenue in Los Angeles. Their dollar menu was:
- Sausage Biscuit – $2.49
- Sausage McGriddles – $3.39
- Hash Browns – $2.79
Can you see just how much prices change depending on location? I asked my friend to visit another location – 830 S Orange Blossom Trail. Their dollar menu was:
- McDouble – $3.29
- French Fries – $2.69
- 4pc. Chicken McNuggets – $2.99
Not even the same menu items!
Which brings me to…
Does McDonald’s Have a Dollar Menu?
No, they do not. McDonald’s introduced its new $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu in early 2018, and there is not a single item on their “Dollar Menu” that is costing a dollar (or less).
Even 3 (half!) stripes of bacon will cost you more than a dollar these days.
The apple slices seem to be the only thing McDonald sells under a buck.
Conclusion
Is the retention of the “Dollar Menu” name a strategic nod to nostalgia, or does it inadvertently spotlight the widening gap between past and present prices?
Many long-time patrons fondly remember the good old times when a regular hamburger or a cheeseburger or small fries could be snagged for less than a dollar. Those days, it seems, are firmly in the rearview mirror.
A potential rebranding to something like the “Under $3 Menu”, or even “Under $5 Menu” would be closer to today’s reality.
The “Dollar” menu at McDonalds is kind of a misnomer. Out here in California, most of the items on the so-called Dollar Menu cost more than $1. For example, the McDouble costs, on average, $1.29.
Twice now I ordered from the “dollar” menu, a diet Pepsi & a mchicken, both times not a dollar.