McDonald’s Corp. is asking franchisees to approve a long-term value strategy to attract the customers that had left the chain over the past three years, Nation’s Restaurant News has learned.

Sources confirmed the company is planning to offer a “Pick 2” menu that includes some items that had been on the company’s Dollar Menu in the past, including the McDouble, McChicken and small fries.

McDonald's did not have a comment on the initiative.

The deal is expected to be a long-term value offer, rather than a limited-time offer. It is expected to start by the end of the year or in January. Sources say franchisees will vote on the promotion by the end of the month.

Operator's National Advertising Fund, McDonald’s advertising fund, has approved the value message, but franchisees have yet to give their approval for the deal — meaning it might not see the light of day, sources said.

Still, the effort demonstrates the company’s seriousness in getting a permanent value offer onto its menu after the chain shifted away from the Dollar Menu three years ago.

The company and some analysts have indicated that lost value has been a contributor to the company’s sales slide in recent years. In particular, many believe that sales were hurt after the chain increased the price for the McDouble, which had been priced at $1 and was a popular sandwich.

The Pick 2 menu would effectively add that back in, though customers would have to order at least two items.

Company executives have been hinting strongly that they are working on a value platform to replace the Dollar Menu.

“Some of the challenges we’ve had in the U.S. have been somewhat self-inflicted,” McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook said during a conference call with investors this spring. “We moved away from the Dollar Menu and didn’t replace it with significant enough value in the eyes of consumers.”

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