Are McDonald’s prices higher on the app than on personal menus? An investigation in NYC

McDonald’s has long been known for their affordable menu prices — hello, Dollar Menu — but in recent years, customers have increasingly complained about price discrepancies.

A man recently went viral on TikTok complaining about how his McDonald’s app offered him a steak, egg and cheese bagel for $7.99 à la carte and $12.19 for a meal, while the store sold out directly the breakfast sandwich for $6.19 á la carte and $10.69. meal

“Why is ordering through the app more expensive?” TikTokker @hugesnlfan was asked.

Others flooded his comments section sharing similar experiences of assuming loading on Mickey D’s official mobile app.

To test these claims, The Post compared prices at three Midtown locations all within walking distance — 6th Ave between 46th and 47th, 7th Ave and 45th Street, and 8th Ave and 42nd — in person and on the app.

All three fast food restaurants advertised the same prices they did on the app, however, prices varied slightly by location.

The store on 6th Ave between 46th and 47th sells a Big Mac for $6.29, a Fish-O-Filet for $5.89, McNuggets 10 pieces for $6.49 and fries for $4.49.

The McDonald’s on the corner of 7th Ave and 45th is offering their iconic burger and fish favorite for a little less at $5.99 and $5.69 respectively. But the chips will cost 20 cents more, with 10 priced at $6.69. Classic fries were 10 cents more ($4.59).

Meanwhile, the fast food chain at the corner of 8th Ave and 42nd also sells Big Macs for $6.29. However, the classic fish sandwich is $5.79, an order of 10 pieces for $7.19 and fries for $4.19.

Customers are shocked to learn that prices can vary slightly from store to store — people are still outraged by the $18 Big Mac meal in Conn. — but this is fairly common practice for franchises.

“Our franchisees (who own and operate more than 95% of all U.S. restaurants) set menu prices for their restaurants, which account for the increased costs of running their businesses,” explained the president of McDonald’s USA, Joe Erlinger.

The Post has reached out to McDonald’s for further comment.

The average price of a Big Mac in the US has risen from $4.39 in 2019 to $5.29. Prices in Midtown Manhattan are slightly more expensive than the national average – but what isn’t more expensive in NYC?

And despite online complaints, it’s actually usually cheaper to order through a restaurant’s app because of the deals and promotions offered through the first-party app.

According to Lending Tree chief credit analyst Matt Schulz, free mobile ordering apps offered by big brands like McDonald’s are an indispensable tool in the fight against inflation.

Open the Golden Arches app and you’ll find—of course they vary by day and location—a slew of deep discounts, like $5 for 20 Chicken McNuggets (they can cost almost $10 at the counter, depending on where you are).

“Fast food mobile apps can be great for people looking for deals,” Schulz told The Post. “Some won’t offer much more than the ability to pre-order, while others may offer in-app discounts, limited-time freebies, loyalty rewards and more.”

While these deals save customers money, they also provide invaluable business information thanks to tracking.

“A company wants to know as much about you as possible. The more they know, the better they can tailor their offerings to match what you’re looking for. A mobile app can help they do that, even on an individual level, and that’s a big deal,” he explained.

Meanwhile, low-income customers who make less than $45,000 a year have largely turned away from McDonald’s in recent years as inflation has largely made eating at home the more affordable option.

62% of us are more likely to give up fast food these days because of the cost, with 80% calling the once staple a luxury, according to a survey by Lending Tree.

Still, McDonald’s price increases last year exceeded the industrywide average of 7.6%, according to restaurant research firm Technomic.

Erlinger insisted that “prices for many of our menu items have increased less than the rate of inflation – and remain well within the range of other quick service restaurants.”