McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski re-emphasized to investors Wednesday evening that the brand refuses to “get beat on value and affordability” and that “It’s in our DNA.” The burger giant’s recent financial results back up his message. In the fourth quarter, thanks to clear-cut value messaging and significant marketing campaigns, the chain saw the highest quarterly comparable guest count gap to near-end competitors in recent history, according to CFO Ian Borden. McDonald’s also gained share with low-income consumers in December and saw increases in value and affordability scores. READ MORE: McDonald’s Remains Laser-Focused on Winning Value Wars McDonald’s Tackles Value Head-On, but Challenges Persist U.S. same-store sales rose 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter—the brand’s highest quarterly increase since Q3 2023—backed by positive average check and traffic. For the full year, comps increased 2.1 percent. Borden acknowledged that some of the Q4 performance is due to easier prior year comparisons (McDonald’s dealt with an E. coli outbreak during Q4 2025), but for the most part, soaring numbers are related to value offerings and marketing initiatives. In early September, McDonald’s brought back Extra Value Meals—discounted combo meals aimed at fixing customers’ value perception around core menu offerings. Some examples include the $5 Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McGriddle meal during breakfast and an $8 10-piece Chicken McNuggets combo during lunch and dinner, both of which rolled out in November. This is on top of the McValue platform that launched in January 2025 featuring the $5 Meal Deal, in-app offers, local promotions, and a…
