McDonald's plans new value bundles next year after US traffic falls in third quarter

McDonald's plans to introduce new value-oriented meal bundles early next year after a disappointing third quarter that saw lower traffic at U.S. restaurants.McDonald's Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said Wednesday that the company recently began an eight-week test of mix-and-match and fixed-price bundles at 1,900 U.S. restaurants. Those bundles might feature a McChicken sandwich and small fries for $3.50, for example.But around 4,000 franchisees have decided not to wait for the test results and have launched meal bundles of their own, he said.“Customers should see a clear and compelling value proposition every time they consider McDonald’s, whether they’re looking for an affordable individual item, a complete meal or a digital offer in the mobile app,” Kempczinski said during a conference call with investors.U.S. same-store sales – or sales at locations open at least a year — fell 0.2% in the July-September period, the Chicago burger giant said Wednesday. While that was not as bad