Americans are mad about inflation. McDonald’s just admitted they were right.

McDonald’s new $5 Meal Deal debuts Tuesday. For the next month, customers can get a McChicken or a McBurger, four chicken nuggets, a side of fries and a small drink for less than the price of a single Big Mac. The highly publicized, limited-time promotion seems to mark a change in the battle over inflation — and it’s a sign that, finally, people — and the government — are successfully fighting back against rising prices. 

Yes, the inflation rate in the U.S. is slowing. In May, prices were up 3.3% from a year earlier, down from 4% from May 2022 to May 2023 and a steep drop from the 8.6% jump from May 2021 to May 2022. But many people still tell pollsters the cost of living is much too high. Consumers continue to cut back where they can. Overall retail sales are increasingly lackluster, and — crucially for McDonald’s — visits to restaurants are in decline.