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McDonald’s Slashes Combo Meal Prices to Win Back Budget-Conscious Diners

  McDonald’s is rolling out price cuts on select combo meals in a bid to lure back customers put off by rising fast-food costs. Starting September 8, the chain will reintroduce its “Extra Value Meals,” offering popular items like the Big Mac, Egg McMuffin, and McCrispy sandwich paired with fries or hash browns and a drink at roughly 15% less than if purchased separately. To kick off the promotion, most U.S. locations will feature an $8 Big Mac meal and a $5 Sausage McMuffin meal, though customers in California, Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam will pay $1 more. The move comes after years of declining visits from lower-income customers, with industry data showing double-digit drops in fast-food visits among households earning under $45,000 annually. McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski acknowledged that combo meals priced over $10 have hurt the brand’s value perception. The company has faced criticism for steep price hikes in recent years, with the average menu price rising 40% since 2019 du...
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Armed Guard or Occupied City? Life Under Trump’s Washington Crackdown

    

National Guard stand guard at Paramount Business Center parking lot n the Los Angeles County city of Paramount, California.   


In Washington, D.C., the sight of National Guard troops patrolling iconic streets has become part of daily life. President Donald Trump’s declared “crime emergency” has brought nearly 2,000 Guard members — soon to be armed with M17 pistols or M4 rifles — alongside federal agents from the FBI, ICE, and Border Patrol.

Supporters say the surge is restoring order, pointing to Trump’s claims that the city is “safer than ever” under his intervention. Federal forces have been stationed at landmarks like the National Mall and Union Station, assisting with crowd control and, at times, performing small acts of kindness — from helping commuters with luggage to feeding squirrels.

But critics, including D.C. councilmembers, warn the move is an authoritarian overreach that invites unnecessary confrontation. In neighborhoods like Anacostia, reactions are mixed: some welcome the increased police presence, while others say it bypasses communities most in need and fuels anxiety among residents.

The crackdown has also sparked protests, with demonstrators decrying the militarized atmosphere and pop-up immigration checkpoints. Despite a reported drop in violent crime over the past year, Trump insists the data is misleading and has hinted at expanding similar operations to cities like Chicago and New York.

For now, Washington remains a city under watch — its monuments guarded, its politics polarized, and its residents caught between promises of safety and fears of control.


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