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Some McDonald's customers told us they don't see value in the Golden Arches value menu.

That's a top concern for CEO Chris Kempczinski, who said the chain botched the rollout of a new low-cost menu.

The menu, featuring 10 items priced under $3 each, was launched as McDonald's simultaneously cut back on its digital discounts, upsetting some of its loyal customers.

"That ended up being a bad trade," Kempczinski said on this week's earnings call.

So what are customers looking for? BI's Alex Bitter and Katherine Li decided to run a little survey of our own to hear from folks about where the Golden Arches are looking rusty.

Out of 227 people who responded to Business Insider's not-so-scientific reader survey, the majority (about 57%) rated the value that they got for their money while dining at McDonald's as "poor" or "very poor." (We're still accepting responses here, if you have thoughts.)

One issue: McDonald's could be a victim of memories of a bygone era. One customer said the chain's under-$3 menu didn't feel like a real value.

"If it were $1, it might be worth it," Brian Schnabel told BI.

(McDonald's ended its dollar menu back in 2013. Man, I feel old.)

Fast-food restaurants that raise their prices risk losing their competitive edge over their higher-end peers.

When an extra-value meal runs you north of $10, people might consider splurging at fast-casual chains like Chipotle or Shake Shack. Even casual dining spots like Chili's are getting in on the action with their competitive meal deals.

Price isn't the only number potentially weighing down McDonald's.

Take a look at any menu these days, and you'll notice restaurants love touting the amount of protein in their food. Many even separate high-protein options.

It's all an effort to tap into the growing wellness trend that's got people doubling down on protein.

McDonald's jumped on the bandwagon, with a dedicated "Protein Picks" section on its app. But it's a tough pitch. The menu doesn't lend itself to people looking for high-protein, low-calorie options.

One of your best bets is the 3-piece McCrispy Strips. They pack a respectable 31 grams of protein, but comes in at roughly 400 calories. (Don't even think about using that creamy chili McCrispy Strip Dip, which clocks in at 110 calories.)

You might not think of McDonald's as a go-to spot for healthy eating, but one chain known for indulgence managed to do it.

Chick-fil-A has become a fast-food favorite among the fitness community. Its eight-piece grilled nuggets offer 25 grams of protein at just 130 calories. (Again, stay away from the 140-calorie Chick-fil-A sauce.)

And for value hunters out there, the price difference is negligible. The Chick-fil-A order cost $6.85 after tax, while the McDonald's order was $6.43 when I test-ordered both online.

I realize not everyone's tracking their macros. But just like price, it shows another area where McDonald's is potentially coming up short in appealing to the trends customers are following.

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Learn AI so I can eventually go away.

That's the mindset for many Gen Xers and Baby Boomers who are learning AI to hang onto their jobs long enough to retire. BI's Amanda Hoover spoke to elder Americans about how they're getting a crash course in AI as they race toward retirement.

While younger Americans worry about their job prospects for the next few decades, older Americans are on much shorter timelines. Many just need to work for a little bit longer before calling it quits.

They're also uniquely positioned for the AI boom in the short term. Years of workplace experience mean they are a treasure trove of knowledge that could benefit the AI tools that need training.

And unlike their younger colleagues, they're less inclined to worry about automating themselves out of a job. After all, they want to be out of a job in a few years if they can afford it.

Not everyone's so enthusiastic about adopting AI. Amanda spoke to a 47-year-old working in legal sales who has moral qualms about the tech's environmental footprint. But she's also realistic about trying to future-proof herself until she can retire in a few years.

"Most people in corporate are just trying to make it to a point where they are fine financially," she said. "You just don't know when your ticket is punched."

Kymm Dracup knows what it feels like to get her ticket punched.

She was unemployed for 22 months before nabbing a temporary consulting job a few months ago. But with no guarantees of future full-time work, she's on edge. She outlined her challenges to BI's Tess Martinelli as part of a new BI series, Still in the Game, about older Americans still looking for work.

At 56 years old, she says being older has impacted her confidence when searching for jobs. She also thinks her age is affecting her job search, although she acknowledges that it's difficult to prove.

She was evicted from her home and moved in with her daughter, joining the many Americans who have opted for a multigenerational household to address financial pressures.

Dracup's story shows why so many older Americans feel they can't afford to fall behind on AI. Longer lifespans, vanishing pensions, and rising healthcare costs mean retirement has gotten more expensive, and the margin for error is thin.

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Scott Galloway wants to save the world … sort of.

The entrepreneur-turned-professor-turned-media-juggernaut is leading a movement against Big Tech on two fronts.

One is over the harmful impact he believes it has on young men. The other is a form of protest against President Donald Trump's immigration policies, calling on people to "Resist and Unsubscribe" from Big Tech's products and services.

Just don't call him an activist. By his own description, Galloway is "too lazy, selfish, and socially minded" to be one, he told BI's Henry Chandonnet.

The irony is that Galloway is taking aim at an industry that helped make him a multimillionaire. He previously wrote a book about Big Tech and founded and sold a business intelligence firm for hundreds of millions of dollars. He's also frequently referenced the massive returns he earned from investing in Apple, Amazon, and Netflix in the wake of the financial crisis.

Galloway's message won't land with everyone.

It's easy to call on people to make sacrifices when you're at the front of the pack. And when you can afford to spend $34,000 a year on Uber, as Galloway says he does, then boycotting it feels more like an inconvenience than anything else.

On the other hand, Galloway's privilege and position within the tech community make his pushback against Big Tech all the more impressive. After all, it would be a lot easier for him to remain silent.

Maybe that's the beauty of Galloway. His comments can be equally enlightening and eye-roll-inducing, interesting and infuriating.

Regardless of how you feel about what Galloway says, you can't deny his willingness to say it.