Back in the early 2000s, I would frequently order a "McDouble" (double cheeseburger) for $1 from their value menu. I can't get exact prices from their website (looks like you need the app), but they list the McDouble in their "under $3 McValue Menu" [1]. Given that inflation has nearly halved the purchasing power of a dollar since then, this doesn't seem too bad.

They also list a $5 meal deal that includes a McDouble, fries, 4 chicken nuggets, and a drink. That still seems like a really good price to me.

They do, however, have an asterisk that says "prices and participation may vary" - so not sure if it's widely available or not. It seems like McDonald's may now allow more pricing variation between franchise locations than they did in the past, so whether or McDonald's is still feels inexpensive may also depend on where you live. Being able to order a $1 McDouble in a high-COL city like San Francisco where nothing else cost a dollar always felt a little crazy to me, so I can see why it had to end eventually.

[1] https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/full-menu/extra-value-mea...

> It seems like McDonald's may now allow more pricing variation between franchise locations than they did in the past

They definitely do. I order from 3 different McDonalds in my area depending on where I am when ordering, and all 3 have different prices for their items (especially the value menu). These places can literally be 10 minutes from each other, with one charging $0.50 more for a McDouble.