A McDonald’s customer pointed out a frustrating glitch in the fast food giant’s app in a viral TikTok video.
The man, Stephen, informed his followers that his egg, cheese and meat bagel was more expensive on the McDonald’s app than on the drive-thru menu.
He realized this only when the app didn’t work for him, at which point he decided to drive to the restaurant and place the order via speaker the old-fashioned way.
“Last Sunday I thought, ‘I’m going to get myself a delicious bagel sandwich with egg, cheese and meat because they’re delicious,'” she said. The video.
Then, she notes the price on a screenshot of the app on her phone. The sandwich alone costs $7.99, while the meal costs $12.19.
In a video that has since gone viral, a TikToker named Stephen slammed McDonald’s for allegedly charging more on the app than in person.
Here, Stephen points out the prices for the sandwich he wanted to order on the drive-thru menu board. The a la carte price on the app was $7.99, while the meal was $12.19. The app was almost $2 more expensive.
The restaurant’s menu indicated that the price of a single item was $6.19 and the price of the meal was $10.69, which made Stephen very angry at the most popular fast food chain in the United States.
“This is the menu,” he said, pointing out the nearly $2 price difference between the app and the drive-thru. “It’s actually a lot cheaper,” he added.
“It’s your own app, it’s not DoorDash. It’s not GrubHub, it’s your own app,” he added. “Why are you charging me more? Why are you charging me more to order on the app?”
He also claimed that prices for other menu items were different on the app and at his McDonald’s location.
There are multiple reasons why fast food giants, not just McDonald’s, are promoting their respective apps, which often contain exclusive giveaways and buy-one-get-one-free offers.
Apps allow chains to collect data on customers and cut staffing costs, so companies like McDonald’s are keen to offer rewards to Americans to lure them back.
Many chains, including McDonald’s, offered limited-time meal deals to lure cash-strapped customers over the summer. This came after many fast-food restaurants reported lower profits this year.
Plus, they can send you push notifications as often as they like to get you to order that Big Mac or Whopper you probably wouldn’t have thought to buy if you hadn’t seen it pop up on your phone.
Viewers of the video were horrified, with some sharing their own stories of being price gouged.
“A couple weeks ago a McFlurry was $7.19 (what the hell?) on the app, then an hour or two later it was $5.99. Same city, same location. They must be using a dynamic pricing system that should be illegal,” one person wrote.
Others were simply fed up with the generally high prices of what used to be cheap, mediocre food that could be picked up on the go.
“Also $8 for a breakfast sandwich is crazy! They used to be $2-3,” wrote another.
FinanceBuzz analysis reveals how much prices of popular fast food items have risen over the past ten years
The US fast food industry has been hit by lower profits this year after customers became aware of exorbitant prices, which have outpaced overall inflation.
In May 2024, fast food prices were 33 percent more expensive than in 2019. In comparison, food costs rose by only 26 percent, while the consumer price index (CPI) increased by 19 percent in that period.
In the first quarter ended in April, McDonald’s reported a quarterly profit that fell short of estimates for the first time in two years.
Wendy’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut and KFC all saw similar profit losses this year.
McDonald’s leaders quickly identified why this happened and it was simply because customers were not spending as much money on Big Macs and Whoppers in an economy plagued by inflation.
McDonald’s chief executive Chris Kempczinski (pictured) commented at a press conference on April results: “The consumer is certainly being very selective in how they spend their money.”
“The consumer is very selective in how they spend their money,” McDonald’s President and CEO Chris Kempczinski said on a conference call with investors about the results. “This may be more evident for lower-income consumers.”
These chains quickly came up with inexpensive meals that would appeal to budget-conscious people.
McDonald’s introduced a limited-time $5 meal deal earlier this summer that includes a McChicken or McDouble, four chicken nuggets, fries and a drink.
This agreement expired in August.
Rival Burger King’s $5 menu was very similar to McDonald’s. Customers could choose from three sandwiches (a Whopper Jr., a Bacon Cheeseburger or a Chicken Jr.) plus four chicken nuggets, fries and a soft drink.
Wendy’s had a $3 breakfast deal and also a four-item meal for $5 similar to McDonald’s and Burger King.