FILE – A McDonald’s sign is seen, March 14, 2024, in Wheeling, Ill. McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases.
Erlinger acknowledged that he and many franchisees were frustrated by a post on X last summer about a Big Mac meal in Connecticut that cost $18, calling the price “an exception.” He noted that franchisees own and operate 95% of U.S. McDonald’s locations and set their own pricing but “work hard to minimize the impact of price increases.”
McDonald’s said the average price of all menu items has risen 40% over the last five years, to account for a 40% average increase in the cost of labor, paper and food. That is higher than overall consumer prices, which have increased 21% since December 2019, according to government figures.