McDonald's Wants to Set the Record Straight on That $18 Big Mac

McDonald's is firing back at reports that its prices have gone haywire. 

On Wednesday, Joe Erlinger, the president of McDonald's USA, shared an open letter addressed to its "U.S. fans" outlining how the brand still provides all the value you expect, following a year of headlines around an $18 Big Mac in Connecticut and the general rise in prices across fast food chains. 

"I still remember the excitement I felt as a kid when my parents turned into a McDonald's. I think back to that almost every day in my job running McDonald's USA (and to my mom's love of McNuggets)," Erlinger shared. "While I didn't realize it then, it wasn't just the great burgers and fries that made McDonald's a destination for the Erlingers — it was knowing my parents could count on their local McDonald's for a convenient, affordable meal for the whole family." 

He added, "That's just as important today. Americans across the country are making tough calls about where to spend their hard-earned money." 

This sentiment was echoed in a recent survey by LendingTree, which found that 78% of respondents now consider fast food a luxury. An additional 65% responded that they had been "shocked' by a recent bill at a fast food restaurant. 

“That’s a new phenomenon. Yes, there have always been groups of Americans who might have viewed fast food that way because of their financial struggles," LendingTree noted in its report. "However, for the vast majority of Americans to feel that way seems like a significant cultural shift and a troubling sign.” 

Findings like this are why Erlinger says the brand needs to remain "laser-focused on value and affordability." 

"Recently, we have seen viral social posts and poorly sourced reports that McDonald’s has raised prices significantly beyond inflationary rates This is inaccurate," Erlinger said. "And for a brand that proudly serves nearly 90% of the U.S. population every year, we feel a responsibility to make sure the real facts are available." 

He went on to explain his frustrations about the virality of the $18 Big Mac meal as it was sold at only "one location in the U.S. out of more than 13,700. More worrying, though, is when people believe that this is the rule and not the exception, or when folks start to suggest that the prices of a Big Mac have risen 100% since 2019." 

According to Erlinger, the correct math is an increase of 21%, with the average price of Big Mag going from $4.39 in 2019 to $5.29 in 2024. (Fries, however, are a different story, with the price of medium fries rising some 44%.) Though that's still a rather large increase, Erlinger says it's due to several pressures, including inflation. Additionally, he clarified that franchise owners — who own more than 95% of locations in the U.S. — set pricing, not the company. 

"That’s why prices for many of our menu items have risen less than the rate of inflation — and remain well within the range of other quick service restaurants. It’s also why more than 90% of U.S. franchisees are offering meal bundles for $4 or less," Erlinger added. 

And while he knows the price of a Big Mac will always be a point of contention, Erlinger noted that he still hopes to dispel this myth. And, because he's the president, he closed the letter by sharing, "for the greatest way to unlock all the value we offer, be sure to download and use the McDonald's app." See the full statement at corporate.mcdonalds.com. And if you really want a deal, you can always use the McCheapest map.