McDonald’s President Makes Clear About ‘Price Increase’ After Customers Complain About $18 Big Macs

The president of MCDONALD’S brought the receipts to settle claims that prices increased by more than 100%.

McDonald’s customers were outraged last year when they spotted a location selling a Big Mac for $18.

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The combo meal was on sale at a Connecticut McDonald’s in Darien, one of the country’s wealthiest cities, according to the New York Post Office.

“This was at a rest stop, but these McDonald’s prices are crazy, right???” client Sam Learner wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Now, McDonald’s President Joe Erlinger has addressed allegations that prices have become unreasonable in a rare open letter to customers.

“I can tell you that I am frustrated and concerned, and so are many of our franchisees, when I hear about an $18 Big Mac meal being sold – even if it was in one U.S. location out of more than 13,700,” he wrote in a declaration.

“More concerning, however, is when people believe this is the rule rather than the exception, or when they begin to suggest that Big Mac prices have risen 100% since 2019.”

He highlighted that the average price of a Big Mac in 2019 was US$4.39, and now it is US$5.29 – an increase of just 21%.

The price of a Big Mac combo has increased from $7.29 in 2019 to $9.29 today, a 27% price increase.

Erlinger said “inflationary pressures” have affected every sector of the economy, including the fast food industry.

Franchisees set menu prices and “work hard to minimize the impact of price increases on our fans,” he added.

“That’s why prices for many of our menu items have increased by less than the rate of inflation – and remain within the range of other quick-service restaurants,” he said.

“This is also why more than 90% of U.S. franchisees offer meal packages for $4 or less.”

CHEAP FOOD?

Erlinger’s appeal may have come too late for some customers, who have already abandoned McDonald’s due to high costs.

Around 78% of consumers said that buying fast food today is a “luxury” due to inflation, according to a survey carried out by Yahoo! Finance.

Additionally, 62% of people said they are eating out less this year because of higher prices.

In February, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski promised a “menu innovation” that would focus on value and lower prices for customers.

He said the network is working to reconnect with Americans who make $45,000 or less during the company’s earnings call.

McDonald’s Prices, Then and Now

The US Sun compared how prices have changed for some of McDonald’s most popular meals

10-Piece McNugget Meal

• 2019 – $7.19
• 2024 – $9.19

Big Mac Meal

• 2019 – $7.29
• 2024 – $9.29

Quarter Pounder with Cheese

• 2019 – $4.49
• 2024 – US$5.39

Egg McMuffin

• 2019 – US$3.49
• 2024 – US$4.29

Medium fries

• 2019 – US$2.29
• 2024 – US$3.29

“The battlefield is with low-income consumers. What you will see is more attention to accessibility,” he said.

“Think of it as an absolute price, which is more important to the consumer to drive them to restaurants than perhaps value messages.”

McDonald’s has launched a spin-off restaurant that is rapidly expanding and offering an entirely new feature.

Plus, see the special Hello Kitty collaboration coming to McDonald’s Happy Meals this summer.