I compared McDonald's cheapest burger with its most expensive, and the difference was staggering

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• Value is one of the biggest reasons people often eat at McDonald's.
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• However, McDonald's recently did away with its value menu, replacing it with frequent deals. The chain has also made changes to appeal to higher-end customers, such as upgrading its beef and rolling out delivery.
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• With increasing wealth inequality in America, it seems like McDonald's is trying to appeal to both budget diners and the delivery crowd.
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• I compared the cheapest burger at McDonald's with the most expensive burger, and the differences revealed how much value McDonald's is really providing.
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Value is usually one of the top reasons people eat at McDonald's. But that's not always the case.

The gap between America's haves and have nots is wider than ever. The middle class is shrinking, and this means that shopping and dining trends go two ways: budget, or luxury.

And McDonald's is one of the many chains that is trying to adapt to this new reality. In spring 2019, it did away with its beloved Dollar Menu. Then in summer 2019, it doubled down on deals to appeal to budget diners.

Meanwhile, the chain has made big changes to appeal to richer Americans, most notably by switching to fresh beef and rolling out delivery services.

But can one chain really cater to both sides of the economic spectrum?

To see how different McDonald's offerings are at the top and bottom ends of its menu, I compared its cheapest burger with its most expensive burger, and what I found was telling.