McDonald’s Hits Back Against $18 Big Mac Social Media Buzz

Daniela Sirtori, Bloomberg News

Signage outside a McDonald's restaurant in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, US, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. McDonald's Corp. is scheduled to release earnings figures on February 5. Photographer: Justin Merriman/Bloomberg , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- McDonald’s Corp. has had enough of social media posts suggesting for nearly a year that a Big Mac meal costs $18.

The company pushed back against the claim Wednesday in a message on its website from Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s US business, explaining that one location in the US out of more than 13,700 sold the meal at the higher price.

But that one restaurant’s pricing started getting attention online last July and keeps popping back into the news cycle, often being cited as an example of runaway inflation.

“Recently, we have seen viral social posts and poorly sourced reports that McDonald’s has raised prices significantly beyond inflationary rates,” Erlinger wrote. “This is inaccurate.”

He criticized some reports suggesting the cost of a Big Mac has gone up 100% since 2019. The real increase was closer to 21%, Erlinger wrote. Most franchisees, who own the bulk of McDonald’s locations and set prices, are offering meal bundles for $4 or less, he said.

Erlinger’s message underscores McDonald’s efforts to attract customers who’ve cut back on dining out as inflation eats their budgets. That’s led to a value war between the Chicago-based chain and rivals such as Burger King, with both launching competing $5 meal deals, Bloomberg has reported.

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