McDonald's reveals items in $5 Meal Deal: Here's what customers can expect

(NEXSTAR) – McDonald’s on Thursday revealed details of its upcoming $5 Meal Deal, a new value item created to address concerns over rising prices at U.S. fast food restaurants.

"We heard our fans loud and clear — they're looking for even more great value from us, and this summer that's exactly what they'll get," McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger said in a statement included in Thursday’s press release.

The meal, available as of June 25, will include four components: a choice of a McDouble or McChicken, a small order of fries, a four-piece order of chicken nuggets and a small drink.

The value meal is only available for a limited time at participating restaurants, according to McDonald’s. A representative for the chain was not immediately available to comment on how long guests can expect the meal to be available.

News of the $5 Meal Deal broke last month, following McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski’s comments during an April earnings call that customers were becoming more “discriminating” with their spending.

“That's not just something that's low income. I think all consumers are looking for good value for good affordability, and so we're focused on that action,” he said at the time.

Sources claiming to know of the company’s plans to introduce the $5 meal provided advance details to outlets including Bloomberg and the Associated Press in May, with one claiming the cost would be higher in certain markets. (McDonald’s, in Thursday’s release, did indeed indicate that prices for the meal could be $6 in Alaska, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington, and the borough of Manhattan in New York City.)

Along with news of its $5 Meal Deal, McDonald’s also touted its “Free Fries Friday” promotion, which offers a free medium order of French fries for customers who spend at least $1 on any other item in the McDonald’s app.

The brand added that local restaurants could be offering their own discounts via the app as well.

"Value has always been part of our DNA,” Erlinger said in the press release. “We're focused on living up to that legacy and offering delicious, affordable options customers can enjoy any time they walk through our doors, go through our Drive Thru or place an order through our app."