McDonald’s has reached an agreement with its U.S. franchisees to reduce the price of eight of its best-selling combo meals by roughly 15% compared with the cost of ordering the items separately, according to materials cited by the Wall Street Journal and confirmed by Reuters. The move follows weeks of negotiations in which the company offered financial support to operators willing to participate. The new pricing will begin in early September, when restaurants roll out a $5 Sausage Egg McMuffin breakfast and an $8 Big Mac combo. A second wave of “Extra Value Meals,” including a $5 McGriddle breakfast and an $8 10-piece Chicken McNuggets deal, is scheduled for November. The discounts are expected to remain in place through at least early 2026. Executives say the strategy is meant to restore McDonald’s reputation for affordability after reports of Big Mac meals costing as much as $18 and internal data showing customers “too often” encounter combo prices above $10. Chief Executive Officer Chris Kempczinski has warned that such price points are hurting traffic among value-conscious diners. Analysts expect the nationwide campaign to intensify an ongoing price war in the quick-service sector, pressuring rivals such as Burger King and Wendy’s. McDonald’s shares rose about 1% in morning trading after news of the plan broke.