The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday, Jan. 13, edition that McDonald's Canada is dropping the price of its value menu, and expanding the number of discounted items it offers. The Globe's Susan Krashinsky Robertson writes that McDonald's is reducing its McValue Meal bundles to $5 before tax, down from $5.99, with a commitment to freeze this price for a year. The discount menu will also include four breakfast combos available during morning hours. The pricing decision was influenced by financially strained Canadians dining out less, impacting the entire restaurant industry, said McDonald's Canada chief executive officer Annemarie Swijtink in an interview. "Running a business right now is challenging," Ms. Swijtink said, adding that customers across the country "are having insecurity about their financial position because of rising costs. That is impacting everyone." And when people try to reduce their non-essential spending, restaurant visits are often the first place they cut back. In a November survey of 1,511 Canadians, industry group Restaurants Canada found that 75 per cent of Canadians had begun dining out less often to combat the higher cost of living. That includes cutting back on fast food.