McDonald’s, Taco Bell Roll Out a Big Burger and Dollar-Stretching Deals
In late January, McDonald’s will resurrect its Double Big Mac, and starting Thursday, Jan. 11, Taco Bell will present a revamped value menu. Both brands’ moves should appeal to price-sensitive diners, according to the restaurant chains.
The idea is to keep consumers reaching for the shiny new (or retooled) object when they repeat their visits to favorite quick-service restaurants. Fast food is a mainstay of American diets, with nearly two-thirds of consumers surveyed by Drive Research saying they eat fast food at least once each week.
Four-Patty Monster Mac
That VERY Big Mac, which will return on Jan. 24 after taking a nearly four-year break, features four beef patties instead of two on the regular Big Mac, CNN reported. This new mega-burger will be available only for a limited time.
McDonald’s had debuted the hefty sandwich in March 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic slammed the doors on many restaurants. And the 2024 version of the Double Big Mac will feature the restaurant chain’s latest burger enhancements: softer buns, “meltier” cheese (as described by the marketing team), an improved sear on the patties and extra sauce.
Why Revive the Double Big Mac?
Back in December 2023, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski hinted that some new wrinkles might be on the horizon. He told CNN that customers wanted bigger burgers and that McDonald’s had plans to oblige. Aside from that, the Double Big Mac has two advantages from an operational and profits standpoint: It’s prepared from ingredients that are already on hand, and it’s barely more labor-intensive than the original Big Mac.
Kempczinski further told CNN that the price will be appealing: “We think we’re going to be able to deliver a great tasting large burger at a superior value to what [customers] can get anywhere else.”
Fast-food brands regularly resurrect menu items like the Double Big Mac, often in response to customer campaigns on social media. This nostalgia marketing is a go-to tactic because it’s effective, appealing to customers on an emotional level. Among McDonald’s recent encore offerings were Happy Meals for adults, a menu modification that reminded customers of their childhood fare that was again accompanied by an inexpensive toy to take home.
Value and Vegetarian Deals at Taco Bell
Taco Bell is going big on the value front with its Cravings Value Menu, which launches Jan. 11, USA Today reported. There are six new items and four keepers (its vegetarian classics) with prices ranging from $1.19 to $3. In addition to the value items, Taco Bell simultaneously will roll out its new customizable vegetarian meal in a box.
Taco Bell Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Montgomery said the brand is “committed to expanding on our value offerings through new menu items and digital offerings that deliver quality and abundance.”
On the New Taco Bell Menus…
The Cravings Value Menu includes the following newbies: Double Stacked Tacos, Stacker (a tortilla containing beef and cheese), 3-Cheese Chicken Flatbread Melt, Chicken Enchilada Burrito, Cheesy Double Beef Burrito and Loaded Beef Nachos. Sticking around on the value menu are four vegetarian faves: The Cheesy Roll Up, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito and Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes.
Along with the value menu modifications, Taco Bell announced a new permanent offering, the Veggie-Build-Your-Own-Cravings-Box for $5.99 plus tax – that amount may vary by location. The box lets the diner choose a specialty item, classic item and side dish that are accompanied by a medium-size fountain beverage.
