McDonald’s is bucking the trend of rising egg prices – at least for a limited time.
To celebrate 50 years of serving breakfast, the fast food giant is offering customers a break: No extra charge for eggs. On March 2, McDonald’s (MCD-1.85%) will offer a special $1 Egg McMuffin deal through its app.
“You definitely WON’T see McDonald’s USA issuing surcharges on eggs,” Michael Gonda, McDonald’s chief impact officer for North America, said in a LinkedIn post.
This decision comes as other restaurant chains add extra fees for egg-based menu items in response to the ongoing avian flu crisis, which has contributed to the egg shortage and rising prices across the U.S.
While chains like Denny’s and Waffle House have introduced surcharge fees to offset their increased costs, McDonald’s says it’s committed to maintaining the original pricing for its breakfast items despite the higher costs.
“The timing couldn’t be better,” Gonda said, adding that the company had “something in the works for a while.”
The Egg McMuffin, introduced in 1975, remains a staple of the McDonald’s breakfast menu and is likely to resonate with budget-conscious customers.
This move could also help McDonald’s recover from a challenging quarter. The company’s recent earnings report was impacted by an E. coli outbreak linked to slivered onions on its Quarter Pounders, which sickened hundreds of customers.
In addition to value-driven items, McDonald’s continues to roll out seasonal specials. In February, the highly-anticipated Shamrock Shake made its return, coinciding with the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report, which missed Wall Street’s expectations — primarily due to the lingering impact of the E. coli outbreak. To address the setback, McDonald’s announced plans for a $100 million investment in marketing and franchisee support.
The fast food giant is also focusing on expanding its chicken offerings. McDonald’s plans to broaden the reach of its popular McCrispy sandwich, reintroduce the Snack Wrap in the U.S., and expand the availability of its “Chicken Big Mac,” which is currently offered in just three markets.
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