{"surveyDate":"2026-08-31","runTimestamp":"2026-08-31T08:03:33.844Z","methodologyVersion":"3.1","instrument":{"model":"gpt-5.5-2026-04-23","promptHash":"42639697bd48ac4c","reasoningEffort":"xhigh"},"metros":[{"metro":"New York, NY","status":"verified","price":4.05,"reportedPrice":4.05,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/new-york/new-york","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Within plausibility band."},{"metro":"Philadelphia, PA","status":"verified","price":2.98,"reportedPrice":2.98,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/pennsylvania/philadelphia","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Low but plausible."},{"metro":"Atlanta, GA","status":"verified","price":2.65,"reportedPrice":2.65,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/georgia/atlanta","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Low but plausible."},{"metro":"Miami, FL","status":"verified","price":2.83,"reportedPrice":2.83,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/florida/miami","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Low but plausible."},{"metro":"Dallas, TX","status":"verified","price":2.1,"reportedPrice":2.1,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/texas/dallas","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Near lower plausibility bound but still within band."},{"metro":"Chicago, IL","status":"verified","price":2.87,"reportedPrice":2.87,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/illinois/chicago","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Low but plausible."},{"metro":"Kansas City, MO","status":"verified","price":2.29,"reportedPrice":2.29,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/missouri/kansas-city","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Near lower plausibility bound but still within band."},{"metro":"Columbus, OH","status":"verified","price":2.48,"reportedPrice":2.48,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/ohio/columbus","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Low but plausible."},{"metro":"Los Angeles, CA","status":"verified","price":3.56,"reportedPrice":3.56,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/california/los-angeles","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Within plausibility band."},{"metro":"Seattle, WA","status":"verified","price":4.28,"reportedPrice":4.28,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/washington/seattle","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. High but within plausibility band."},{"metro":"Denver, CO","status":"verified","price":2.6,"reportedPrice":2.6,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/colorado/denver","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Low but plausible."},{"metro":"Phoenix, AZ","status":"verified","price":3.04,"reportedPrice":3.04,"sourceUrl":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds/arizona/phoenix","sourceType":"pinned_aggregator","priceType":"standard_menu","pageUpdated":"2026-08-24","asOf":"2026-08-31","carriedFromDate":null,"citationCheck":{"fetched":true,"priceFound":true,"httpStatus":200,"error":null},"notes":"Pinned page reports the McChicken city average in the all-items price breakdown; app-sourced/store-level, not delivery, bundle, or coupon. Slightly above $3 but within plausibility band."}],"spec":{"reading":null,"status":"carried","appliedGrams":139.46,"rawExcerpt":null},"wage":{"usdPerHour":32.4,"month":"2026-07","fetchedAt":"2026-08-31T08:00:52.289Z","source":"FRED AHETPI (api)"},"nationalEstimates":[{"estimate":2.86,"source_url":"https://menupricetracker.com/mcdonalds-menu/mcchicken","as_of":"2026-08-20","description":"MenuPriceTracker national average McChicken price; page reports app-sourced prices across 13,575 U.S. McDonald's locations, range $1.00-$5.79."}],"regimeEvents":[{"date":"2026-08-19","event":"Anecdotal r/McDonalds wave reported $1.50 McChicken app/menu pricing in multiple U.S. areas, with comments split on whether it was temporary; the same thread included unverified claims that the McChicken patty looked thinner/smaller. Flagged for review only and not used to adjust metro observations.","source_url":"https://www.reddit.com/r/McDonalds/comments/1vs8dyq/mcchicken_down_to_150_is_the_world_healing/"}],"qualityNotes":"All 12 observations came from the pinned MenuPriceTracker primary pages, each showing Last updated: 2026-08-24 and app-sourced/store-level pricing rather than delivery menus. No nulls were required; the hardest classification issue was whether sub-$3 prices reflect everyday value-menu positioning, but the pinned pages listed them as ordinary à la carte all-item prices rather than bundles or coupons. Regime scan found one anecdotal August 19 price/portion thread and no official national launch or withdrawal dated within the 2026-08-17 to 2026-08-31 window.","outcome":{"status":"published","mciMinutes":5.3,"panelPriceUsd":2.85},"usage":{"inputTokens":124272,"outputTokens":10851}}