McDonald’s Has a New Under $3 Menu, and Michiganders May Wonder What It Replaced
Break out the pocket change. McDonald’s has an Under $3 Menu, and Michiganders who’ve been watching their receipts climb could finally catch a break.
Half the list is built for breakfast, so your morning stop is where it could matter most.
Here’s what the new menu replaced, what’s still on the Meal Deals list and why your price could still differ from the next McDonald’s.
Note: This is general information, not tax advice. Menu prices and tax rules are subject to change, so confirm the current tax details with the Michigan Department of Treasury.
April 21 Rebuild
McDonald’s announced its Under $3 Menu on April 2, 2026.
It started April 21.
Five items are for breakfast.
Five are for lunch and dinner.
The company says each item costs under $3.
At breakfast, you can pick the Sausage McMuffin, Sausage Biscuit, Sausage Burrito, Hash Browns or a medium McCafé Premium Roast Coffee.
At lunch or dinner, you can pick the McChicken, McDouble, 4-Piece Chicken McNuggets, small Fries or a medium Soft Drink.
Each list has one drink and one side, and both drinks are medium.
The announcement promises at least 10 items through the day at participating restaurants nationwide.
You can mix and match.
So check whether your restaurant takes part.
What It Replaced
In April, the Associated Press (AP) reported that McDonald’s new list would replace its McValue menu.
That menu let you choose from a limited set of $1 items.
But you could only get them if you bought a regular-priced item.
McDonald’s own announcement calls the change an expansion of its value offerings. It says the menu builds on McValue, which debuted in 2025.
Fox Business had reported on March 12, 2026, on an internal message to franchisees.
It described a coming plan with $3 items and $4 meal deals. The Wall Street Journal obtained the message.
The new items would replace the earlier buy-one-add-one promotions.
AP worded it differently.
The report was a preview.
It came out before McDonald’s announced the full list on April 2.
Psst! Want McDonald’s value lineup in one place? Sort or filter the table below to compare.
Why McDonald’s Rebuilt It
AP said McDonald’s revamped the menu after customers asked for more choice and better value in the morning.
Half the menu is breakfast.
If you order in the morning, that’s the half you’d use.
Fox Business tied the planned $3 items and $4 meal deals to years of post-pandemic price hikes.
The plan is aimed at lower-income shoppers who have cut back.
Fortune’s headline put McDonald’s among chains following a trend toward simpler value menus.
Meal Deals and Extra Value Meals
Alongside the Under $3 Menu, McDonald’s kept its lunch and dinner Meal Deals.
A breakfast version is new.
At breakfast, the $4 Breakfast Meal Deal gives you a Sausage McMuffin or Sausage Biscuit with Hash Browns and a small McCafé Premium Roast Coffee.
At lunch and dinner, you can pick the McChicken Meal Deal for $5 or the McDouble Meal Deal for $6.
Each of those two comes with 4-Piece McNuggets, small Fries and a small Soft Drink.
Fortune reported on April 2, 2026, that McDonald’s brought out Extra Value Meals the previous fall.
Those promise a 15% discount for a bundled meal compared with buying items one by one.
On paper, that is about $3 off every $20.
Where McDonald’s Meal Deal Prices Can Differ
McDonald’s says Meal Deal options may be priced higher at select restaurants.
If you’re weighing a Meal Deal against single items, add up the item prices at your restaurant.
Then compare that total with the Meal Deal price.
Who Sets the Prices
AP reported that many McDonald’s restaurants in the U.S. are owned and run by franchisees, who set the prices.
So your price may differ.
Some of the items already cost less than $3 in some parts of the U.S., but others don’t.
Fox Business said internal memos reportedly showed full agreement. McDonald’s and its franchisees were on the same page about affordability.
As of October 6, 2026, McDonald’s deals page lists the Under $3 Menu with a note that price and participation vary.
That means you might not find every item at your restaurant.
The same page lists $4 Meal Deals for breakfast and Meal Deals starting at $5 from lunch to late night.
In its April announcement, McDonald’s calls the items a predictable everyday low price.
Some Under $3 favorites will get an even better price for a limited time, nationwide.
Psst! How much do you know about McDonald’s McValue Menu? Take our quiz and see if you can ace it.
Sales Tax on the Receipt
At a Michigan McDonald's, the state's 6% sales tax applies to taxable retail sales.
Michigan's Treasury Department says food the seller heats is taxable prepared food.
So is food the seller makes by mixing two or more ingredients into one item.
A hot McChicken counts.
To estimate your total, multiply an item's menu price by 1.06.
A $2.99 item comes to $3.17 with the 6% tax.
At the listed prices, your $4 Breakfast Meal Deal totals $4.24 with tax. A $5 Meal Deal totals $5.30, and a $6 Meal Deal totals $6.36.
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