McDonald's is a premium product now (2024)

nabbed

I stopped going to McDonald's (which I previously visited about once per month) mainly because they got very expensive, and the price does not match the quality of the food (and they also are not that fast anymore). If I am going to spend that much, I could spend a little more a go to a much nicer mom-and-pop place. A secondary reason is that they are American. Although I am American, I am currently a resident of another country that is targeted by American tariffs, so I am trying to buy local as much a possible.

jabsters

Published July 31, 2024

PaulHoule

I was driving around the other day with my wife and I said "Hey, you should see how i can order from the McDonalds app and the food is ready when you show up" and in the end she was appalled with what a Fillet-o-Fish costs for how much food you get.

dec0dedab0de

Americans, particularly on social media, seem to have a love-hate relationship with food. These reviews are not uncommonly juxtaposed with fitness content and people in the comments warning of the obesity problem. So these same people praising and consuming this calorie-rich food are at the same time warning of obesity in America and trying to get in better shape. There is a sort of cognitive dissonance in both voicing concerns about obesity or food inflation, yet consuming the very food that is causing it, or watching a video that glorifies this food. It feels like a reach presenting this without evidence that it is the same people. Especially without any nuance around health-conscious people still doing unhealthy things on occasion.

damnesian

I wouldn't feel bad in the least if all the $60 a pop lunchfluencers disappear for being grossly irresponsible role models, having to resort to pitiously ungrammable cheap-ass meals for themselves in the end.

cube00

I stopped after I realised I was paying a premium price for stale cold chips and luke warm burgers. It got so bad they ran a promo that if your chips weren't hot and fresh they'd give you a new batch for free. Guess it cost them too much because they killed that promo pretty quickly.

ryandrake

I kind of lost the point of the article when the author veered into the entirely separate topic of McDonalds being unhealthy. It's like two totally separate articles in one. Article 1. McDonalds (along with other traditionally cheap-food places) is now very expensive and not for poor people. Article 2. McDonalds serves (and people are out there eating) unhealthy food. Article 1 is news if you haven't been in a McDonalds in the last 5 years. Article 2 is obvious and is not really a new phenomenon.

SoftTalker

A few years ago my wife and I stopped at a McD drive thru and ordered two meals. The total was over $20. I was aghast and I questioned the cashier if there was some mistake. It's only gotten worse. On a local subreddit recently someone was asking where to get a decent lunch that "doesn't break the bank" and turns out that their target spend was $10. My answer was "Pack a peanut butter sandwich and an apple at home and take it to work with you." Which is my usual lunch. I am just astonished that people spend $10-15 or more, every day, on lunch. And often will pay more to have it delivered.

foxyv

This reminds me of Demolition man when he wakes up in the future and Taco Bell is fine dining.

freetime2

Back in the early 2000s, I would frequently order a "McDouble" (double cheeseburger) for $1 from their value menu. I can't get exact prices from their website (looks like you need the app), but they list the McDouble in their "under $3 McValue Menu" [1]. Given that inflation has nearly halved the purchasing power of a dollar since then, this doesn't seem too bad. They also list a $5 meal deal that includes a McDouble, fries, 4 chicken nuggets, and a drink. That still seems like a really good price to me. They do, however, have an asterisk that says "prices and participation may vary" - so not sure if it's widely available or not. It seems like McDonald's may now allow more pricing variation between franchise locations than they did in the past, so whether or McDonald's is still feels inexpensive may also depend on where you live. Being able to order a $1 McDouble in a high-COL city like San Francisco where nothing else cost a dollar always felt a little crazy to me, so I can see why it had to end eventually. [1] https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/full-menu/extra-value-mea...

unselect5917

I don't go to McDonald's at all because not even the fries are gluten free. They used to be glorious beef tallow fried, and now they're seasoned with a wheat based flavoring. Basically the only fast food left to me is Taco Bell, which as you may know earned its place by surviving the franchise wars.

jjmarr

Last time I went to McDonald's, someone stole my food and I didn't get a refund. I ordered a McChicken + fries at the kiosk. Waited for 15 minutes at the counter before I asked where my food was. The manager took my receipt, said the order was already picked up, and asked me what credit card I used. The manager said I told her the wrong credit card number. I asked for the receipt back so I could do a chargeback and the manager threatened to call security on me. So no, McDonald's isn't a premium experience. It was full of homeless fentanyl users last time I went. Maybe one of them stole my food, or maybe it was the employee that stole my receipt. Either way, I've never had this problem at Five Guys. I am willing to pay $25 for a combo to avoid an experience like that.

zhdc1

A Big Mac meal in the states (fried and drink) cost 2.99 USD in 1990. It now costs around 8.50 USD. The inflation adjusted value of 2.99 USD in 1990 is about 7.88 USD. Did the price go up? Sure. Are you likely getting slightly more in 2026 than you were in 1990? No idea, but it seems plausible to me. Inflation is the answer.

0xbadcafebee

For those saying McDonald's is expensive, you need the app. Every day they have discounts/deals in their app, and the points you gain gets you free food. They often have discounted combo meals, like their $5 meals (a drink, fries, and entree). You can get 8 McDoubles for $20 if you just want something cheap, flavorful and fast (which is the whole point of fast food, it's not supposed to be an everyday meal replacement). I'd also love to see a comparison to all the other fast food chains, both averages and local prices. So far it seems like tunnel vision.

bluebarbet

And yet it's still far too cheap. >In the past fifty years, as factory farming spread from poultry to beef, dairy, and pork producers, the average cost of a new house increased nearly 1,500 percent; new cars climbed more than 1,400 percent; but the price of milk is up only 350 percent, and eggs and chicken meat haven’t even doubled. Taking inflation into account, animal protein costs less today than at any time in history. (That is, unless one also takes into account the externalized costs — farm subsidies, environmental impact, human disease, and so on — which make the price historically high.) - from Eating Animals (2009) by Jonathan Safran Foer

josefritzishere

There is nothing premium about McDonalds. We need to stop upmarketing cheap crap and accept the fact that middle class Americans are not middle class anymore. You are poor. This is hard to swallow but, we live in a country with a declining standard of living. https://www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-life-is-a-lie

Leonard_of_Q

Hm, McDonalds? Last time I made an attempt to get something there was in 1997 after Hacking in Progress in the Netherlands. I was cycling back home, bicycle cart full of computer/network stuff behind my bike, wooden shoes on, a caricature of a Dutch hacker. At HiP I got a voucher-thing for a free hamburger at McD so when I happened to cycle past one in Lelystad I got in line behind a car in the drive-through. Once it was my turn the ...person... who's supposed to take orders told me 'only cars allowed in the drive-through'. Well, I had 4 wheels, was as long as a car and wasn't bothering anyone. I've seen people on friggin' horses go through those 'drive-through' lanes and this being the Netherlands and me wearing wooden shoes and all I'd have thought I'd be welcome but no and no sale. Well, that was the last time I went to any of those places, they've been on my blacklist ever since. Now maybe I should state that I never went there before either because I'm not into fast food but hey, why waste a good story?

jerlam

I think it would be more interesting to talk about why all these upper-middle-class people are seemingly willing to overpay for things, instead of people eating McDonalds on social media. There are a multitude of old brands that have hopped on this bandwagon. Brands like Lego, Pokemon, and Disney that started for children are now shifting their target market towards adults with money, maybe without kids, and are willing to pay for their childhood pleasures. I guess McDonalds is one of them too. I can't remember where I read it, but someone described the ideal Lego customer as a "new software engineer in their mid 20s with a paycheck they want to spend on toys they wanted as a child", in response to Lego's newest release being a $200 branded set.

freetime2

This article is from 2024. It sounds like McDonald's has since realized they have a problem with their perceived value and that viral tweets about $20 Big Macs are not good for their image. Apparently they are taking steps to curb excessively high prices at certain locations (prices are set by franchisees) by conducting "value assessments" and potentially revoking the "right to renewal and transfer" for franchisees that don't comply [1]. [1] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/11/mcdonalds-value-franchisees....

securicat

Is there anywhere that food is getting cheaper? I’m not sure if this is just an American story. Folks outside the US, what’s your story?