Mcdonald’s has got to be one of the most famous fast-food franchises to ever come out of the US. After all, they’ve got the recognition power of an easily identifiable mascot in Ronald McDonald (once subtitled “The Hamburger-Happy Clown”) and their now signature burger, the Big Mac which recently got some new size variants. That by the way appears to be partly caused by a trend that’s seeing a decrease in the number of customers patronizing McDonald’s restaurants, leading to some loss of earnings. It’s gotten to the point that the franchise is trying its hand at self-service kiosks to cut down on paid human workers.
Now however, McDonald’s is trying a different tactic of attracting more diners to chow down with them, a more traditional way of getting customer attention. They’re lowering prices on their beverage menu, going so far as to promise soda drinks for a dollar.
Dollar drinks
Beginning April, McDonald’s is pricing their soft drinks at only $1 across all sizes. In addition, their more varied McCafe beverage line of smoothies and espressos will all be go for just $2, but only for a limited time. The fast-food giant is also set to go with a national marketing campaign in order to get the word out to everybody. According to a statement this new dollar deal is their latest effort in reinvigorating their customers’ interest in partaking of their beverages.
"This offer is part of our ongoing commitment to build a better McDonald’s, and we continue to listen to our customers in addressing their desire for great taste, high quality, value, and even more choice and flexibility than ever before,” the press release said.
Sharp observers can easily trace the reasons for such a pricing coup: 2016 sales for McDonald’s had dropped 2.1 percent in the US, a warning sign to be sure.
The new alternative of patrons to go for lower-priced grocery-bought beverages over drinks from their fountains, alongside the general mood over avoiding obesity in the country, could all be pointed out as influencing McDonald’s in their Big Mac sizes and price cuts.
Contrasting opinions
There has been a sharp contrast of opinions over McDonald’s and its new dollar drink pricing.
Edward D. Jones & Co. analyst Jack Russo thinks the fast-food chain is promoting non-stop when demand is overall weak for their menu, while McDonald’s marketing VP Adam Salgado believes that their new deal, in the vein of their old Dollar menu, McPick 2 and all-day breakfast is simply “another level of great value” for budget-conscious McDonald’s customers to avail of.
