As consumers continue to pull back from fast-food restaurants owing to price concerns amid pressing inflation, the chains are looking to woo them back—and the value meal is a tried-and-true method to do so. While combo meals are pretty much an everyday thing in the quick service world, this summer has seen a flurry of them that’s more widespread than any in recent memory.
Part of that is the result of “McFlation” claims, which followed reports of nearly $8 chicken sandwiches and $18 Big Mac meals. (McDonald’s USA president Joe Erlinger addressed that last month, issuing a public letter to counter what he called the “viral social posts and poorly sourced reports that McDonald’s has raised prices significantly beyond inflationary rates.”)
