Feeding America's financials indicate their cost is ~$0.7 per meal. However, not on the financials is that they likely rely on a large volunteer support network

Feeding America's financials indicate their cost is ~$0.7 per meal. However, not on the financials is that they likely rely on a large volunteer support network of food banks, churches, etc. A lot of free, and expensive, labor. Also, I don't think they prepare the food, they just provide raw ingredients to folks. That said, I think if you were creative with the menu - serving food staples known for low cost and decent nutrition it would be comparable. But this is beans and rice, lentils, PB&J sandwiches, etc. But I personally think this is fine. For me, the goal is to ensure no one starves it's not to provide a complete nutrition for every single person. Since the offerings are slim and not exactly desirable, the impact to McDonald's lunch business would likely be small. Pretty much anyone with the means to do so would rather eat something they paid for. It depends on if you view it as a general public service or if you view it as a safety net I suppose. All that said, I think this has no chance of actually gaining momentum. Not in the US anyway. It sounds like something a Nordic country could pull off.