Bye bye $2 McChicken: McDonald's burger now costs $3.25, netizens divided on price hike
PHOTO: McDonald's
PUBLISHED ONNovember 26, 2023 9:00 AMByCandice Cai[UPDATED, Nov 29]
In response to AsiaOne's queries, a McDonald's spokesperson on Wednesday (Nov 29) cited rising business costs due to inflation and increased operating costs as reasons for the price adjustments.
However, the spokesperson added that this is balanced "by offering value on our customers’ favourite menu items".
Below is the statement in full:
"With rising business costs due to inflation and increased operating costs, price adjustments may be necessary while ensuring our pricing remains competitive. Importantly, we balance that by offering value on our customers’ favourite menu items, for instance, through value deals on the McDonald’s app; as well as Breakfast McSavers and Super Savers offerings available to all."
The price of a McDonald's chicken burger has reportedly seen another round of price hikes, prompting disgruntled voices to rise from some camps, Shin Min Daily News reported on Saturday (Nov 25).
Others, however, others took the latest price increase in their stride.
The McChicken, a favourite of many customers who had grown up eating the burger as children, used to cost $2, reported the Chinese evening daily. Now, the price of the burger costs $3.25 a la carte.
Perhaps it's not surprising, considering the rise in food costs recently, but still, the price increase has ruffled some customers' feathers.
One of them, a 38-year-old homemaker surnamed Liu, reportedly stated that the price change was unreasonable, and lamented: "If my child didn't like it so much, I wouldn't buy it."
Another customer, surnamed Zhang, 33, also deemed the McChicken expensive, stating that the price did not seem to match up to the cost of the ingredients.
"The burger only consists of a thin piece of chicken and some vegetables. The amount of sauce is pitiful as well; why should it cost more than $3?"
Some who were interviewed by the Chinese daily, however, were resigned to the inevitability of the price hike due to rising food costs.
Lin, 32, who works in the finance industry, told Shin Min that he didn't think the price of the McDonald's chicken burger was too expensive. He reflected that at just over $3, it is already priced more cheaply than at many other places.
Another customer, a 40-year-old domestic worker, expressed that if prices did not change, it wouldn't reflect current market prices.
According to Shin Min, the price of a McChicken was $2 before Covid-19 and increased to $2.50 during the pandemic. The price was subsequently adjusted to $2.95, before being priced at the current $3.25.
AsiaOne has reached out to McDonald's for comment.
According to international news media, McDonald's US announced a price hike on menu items across the board in February 2023. The McChicken in particular, saw a price jump of 27.6 per cent, the largest increase out of three items shown, reported Yahoo! News.
Several videos from US-based TikTok users expressing their dismay at the price increase of the well-loved chicken burger have gone viral since then, with many recalling how they used to cost US$1 (S$1.34) each.
The subject of McDonald's price increases locally also surfaced on Reddit back in June, when one Singapore-based user was surprised to see that the price of a double cheeseburger meal had increased from $7 to $7.50. The user added that the price of the meal used to be "$6.10 back in 2019", and with the latest increase, "this means the price of a double cheese burger meal has increased by 22 per cent in just four years".
Another contributor to the same thread indicated two weeks ago that McDonald's "just increased [prices] again", but did not elaborate further.
However, one user indicated that McDonald's no longer employs what he termed "unified pricing", with menu items at different outlets priced differently depending on location.
candicecai@asiaone.com