McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger recently commented on reporting that one of their franchises in Connecticut was selling an $18 Big Mac combo meal.
According to Erlinger, this expensive meal was simply an “exception”, rather than something that was seen around many other McDonald’s in the country.
An $18 Big Mac Meal
Social media users and the media jumped on a user’s post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that showed the user had spent a whopping $18 on a simple Big Mac meal last summer.
Many people pointed to this very expensive McDonald’s meal in annoyance, as fast food menu prices have skyrocketed in the last few years alone.
High Inflation Is Driving Up Prices
Many fast food eateries, including McDonald’s, have seen their menu prices rise thanks to high inflation experienced throughout the United States.
However, 2024 has begun to see consumers dealing with price fatigue. Customers are no longer willing to continue spending a lot of money on items they previously spent less on.
Fighting Back Against These Allegations
In a letter to customers, Erlinger fought back against this new reporting and recent allegations, stating that this highly-priced Big Mac combo meal was simply an “exception.”
“I can tell you that it frustrates and worries me, and many of our franchisees, when I hear about an $18 Big Mac meal being sold — even if it was at one location in the U.S. out of more than 13,700,” he said. “More worrying, though, is when people believe that this is the rule and not the exception, or when folks start to suggest that the prices of a Big Mac have risen 100% since 2019.”
McDonald’s Franchisees Set Prices
Erlinger did admit that 95% of all McDonald’s locations in the United States are owned and operated by franchisees. These owners also set their own pricing.
However, Erlinger claimed that all franchisees are committed to trying to “minimize the impact of price increases.”
Focusing on Affordability
Erlinger also went on to say that McDonald’s is as focused as ever on ensuring their menu items are as affordable as they’ve always been.
Erlinger explained that the entire company, as well as its many franchisees, “must remain laser-focused on value and affordability.”
Have McDonald’s Menu Prices Risen?
Though Erlinger seems intent on pushing back against these allegations that all McDonald’s have risen their Big Mac combo meals to $18, data has shown that McDonald’s prices have skyrocketed in just the last decade.
FinanceBuzz revealed this year that the average cost of a McDonald’s menu has doubled in 10 years.
Average McDonald’s Items Have Surged in Price
According to FinanceBuzz’s study, a Big Mac increased in price from $3.99 to $5.99. Meanwhile, a medium fry jumped in cost from $1.59 to $3.79 in only 10 years.
Finally, a McDouble also rose in price from $1.19 in 2014 to $3.19 today.
Price Fatigue Hits Fast Food Eateries
Many fast-food restaurants have seemingly realized that consumers in the United States are struggling with price fatigue, as they no longer want to spend a lot of money when they head to fast-food locations.
McDonald’s has seen its customer traffic slow down in the first few months of 2024 because of this price fatigue.
Bringing Customers Back to McDonald’s
As a result of this slowdown in customer traffic, McDonald’s has made a concerted effort to try to bring more consumers back into its restaurants.
To do so, they’ve brought back many customer-favorite food items, as well as limited-time deals. Most notably, reporting has revealed that McDonald’s is set to offer $5 meal deals to customers this summer.
New $5 Meals
These $5 meal options could include a McDouble, a McChicken, or a four-piece McNugget meal. All meals will come with fries and a drink.
By offering this cheaper meal, McDonald’s is hoping to remain affordable for many of its customers, as well as bring back some consumers who may have decided to stop eating at the fast food giant because of high menu prices.
Convincing Customers To Come Back
However, McDonald’s may have to try harder to convince customers to return to its locations, as even their $5 meal deal has met with some backlash. Consumers have grown frustrated that this deal is only for a limited time and will only last for a short time frame.
McDonald’s claims that they haven’t raised prices astronomically have also backfired for some. According to data, major fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s have increased their prices by 60% in 10 years. That’s almost double the rate of inflation.
