McDonald’s is preparing a $5 meal deal to attract customers back into its outlets.

McDonald’s Corp. is planning to introduce a $5 meal deal in the US, hoping that this offer will attract budget-conscious customers back to their outlets.

The deal might feature a McChicken or a McDouble, accompanied by fries and a drink, as per an anonymous source. During the company’s first-quarter earnings call, CEO Chris Kempczinski emphasized McDonald’s need to focus intently on affordability, considering the price sensitivity of diners. The company’s results fell short of expectations.

Kempczinski pointed out the current lack of a national value platform in the US, sparking queries from analysts about the potential details of such an offer.

At McDonald’s, franchisees contribute to an advertising fund and have a say in major marketing campaigns, including promotions like the viral Grimace Shake. An earlier effort to get operators, who run approximately 95% of US stores, to support the $5 meal initiative was unsuccessful.

Some operators expressed concerns about potential losses from the roughly four-week promotion, especially in states like California, where the minimum wage for fast-food workers increased by 25% to $20 an hour earlier this year. McDonald’s stated that franchisee cash flows have risen about 50% since 2018 and continue to grow, but an independent group representing operators has voiced concerns about labor costs and investments needed to revamp stores.

To make the deal more appealing, McDonald’s secured funding from Coca-Cola Co., which could help offset potential profitability impacts for franchisees, according to the familiar source. The extent of the beverage company’s contribution is yet to be determined, and it wasn’t expected that the burger chain would contribute funds. Coca-Cola, which frequently supports customers’ marketing programs, declined to comment.

McDonald’s refrained from commenting beyond Kempczinski’s previous statements. John Palmaccio, the chairman of the operators’ advertising fund, stated to Bloomberg News that the company, franchisees, and suppliers are uniting to provide “great value and affordability” at a time when “our customers really need it.”

After years of robust sales and traffic, McDonald’s is now dealing with a decline from low-income consumers, who make up a significant portion of its customer base.

In the most recent earnings call, Kempczinski lamented that the company was offering local deals and bundles instead of national promotions, unlike some competitors. For instance, Restaurant Brands International Inc.’s Burger King has a limited-time $5 duo, and Wendy’s Co. offers a two-for-$3 breakfast deal.

“McDonald’s has had such strong sales in recent years that they didn’t really need it,” said Mark Kalinowski, CEO of Kalinowski Equity Research, a restaurant-focused research firm. “Now that consumers have demonstrated through their actions that they’re demanding value more than they were even six months ago, McDonald’s is adapting to the times.”

Earlier this year, the independent franchisee group encouraged the company to reintroduce the discontinued snack wraps, arguing that they’re “craveable, relatively simple to produce” and could “easily satisfy the demand for more affordable options on the menu.” The group advised against discounting the chain’s “iconic” menu items and suggested the company expand its beverage offerings. McDonald’s has opened a few beverage-centric CosMc’s locations partly to experiment with new drink combinations.