McDonald’s is supersizing its value menu to win back average Americans as they tighten their belts — but could it be a sign of troubling times ahead?

But how much will that discount really matter to most Americans?

Well, if the average U.S. household spent $3,933 eating away from home in 2023, a 15% discount on every one of those meals would add up to $600 in savings year.

That could make a big difference to lower-income families struggling to pay the bills. And there are a lot of families struggling these days.

Two economic Americas

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski told CNBC that the company's value menu is a response to a “two-tier economy” — with consumers divided between a top tier of free-spending upper-income households and a bottom tier of lower- and middle-income consumers tightening their belts [3].

No wonder. Consumer prices are 25.2% higher than they were in 2020.

“It really is a tale of two different households,” Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, told CNBC.

The top tier is spending like never before. According to Moody’s Analytics, the richest 10% of Americans accounted for half of all consumer spending by the start of 2025. And that’s a record.

Meanwhile, lower- and middle-income families are doing all they can to cut back. In July, Chipotle Mexican Grill cut its annual sales target as a rise in menu prices has pushed diners away [4].

Analysts with the UBS financial group said dining brands are operating in a “difficult macro environment in which consumers are managing visits.”

The two-tier dynamic is playing out far beyond the restaurant industry, with troubling signs for the larger economy.

Warning signs ahead?

According to the Federal Reserve, the wealthiest 10% of Americans own about two-thirds of the nation’s wealth — including 87% of the value of equities and mutual funds. By comparison, the bottom 50% own just 2% of the nation’s wealth.

The rich continue to get richer. As of mid-September, the S&P500, the NASDAQ and the Dow were all at or approaching near record levels, providing enormous returns to the wealthiest investors.

Unfortunately, the unemployment rate is also at its highest point since 2021. That is affecting working-class people [5].

Unemployment and inflation are among the reasons why low-income consumers are struggling with much higher levels of credit-card debt than in 2019.

In fact, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reports that credit card delinquencies reached their highest levels in 25 years in Q1 2025. The poorest 10% of Americans had the highest delinquency rates.

While wealthier Americans aren’t feeling the financial stress that lower-income earners are, that could change.

Morning Consult Chief Economist John Leer told CNBC that if weakness in the jobs market persists, financial stress could “trickle up” to higher-income consumers.

If that’s the case, we could see even more American consumers looking for a deal on their Big Mac and fries.

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