Your McDonald's Stock Thesis Has One Loose End

McDonald's (MCD) has a pricing problem in the United States, its second-largest business. Its value menu of 10 items for under $3 each has not delivered what management expected. The shares lost 19.3% over the past year (as of September 23, 2026), while the S&P 500 returned 13%. The fix is not settled, because it depends on franchisees charging the prices McDonald's recommends.