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Cost of Maccies Etc

88 replies

RabbitsRock · 25/02/2025 09:00

Used to be a fairly cheap option but not anymore! Trying to get through to DD16 that Maccies is now a treat rather than something to just casually buy ( she asked if we could go & get breakfast earlier). How often do you have Maccies, Burger King, KFC etc? I wouldn’t even say we have it monthly these days. I could start a whole other thread about DD & the value of money!

OP posts:
TickingAlongNicely · 25/02/2025 09:02

Mcdonalds etc is usually just a Service Station meal for us.

SandalsandPools · 25/02/2025 09:03

Once a month. I personally don’t find expensive. Especially with the app. They’re doing a deal this morning for a muffin and hot drink for £2.99 which I think is very reasonably priced but obviously it depends on your finances and how many children you are feeding.

Violashifts · 25/02/2025 09:04

You are riight OP. My daughter has Arfid and she likes the unpredictability of maccies but it is really expensive. Especially if go for delivery.

A hash brown is £2. Family of 5 thats a tenner for a little side.

RabbitsRock · 25/02/2025 09:05

Made the mistake last time of letting DD have my card - I was with her but she was whizzing through the pages on the payment machine so quickly, I didn’t have chance to see what she was ordering. £20 later…….!!

OP posts:
Caspianberg · 25/02/2025 09:05

We don’t eat out too often, but I would say around 1-2 times a month. Sometimes that might just be a coffee and cake out, or fast food during travel, other times that’s a nicer evening meal or breakfast out. So it depends on plans for that month.

We don’t ever just go out for a coffee from home, it would only be if we are away from home for the day. I also prefer to take own tea out and about majority of the time for taste and preference.

verycloakanddaggers · 25/02/2025 09:06

Never buy it, so very cheap for us!

Just pick an amount you're willing to buy it (once a month, once a week, whatever) and say that's your lot, use your own money if you want more.

The real issue is it is not healthy to eat often.

SandalsandPools · 25/02/2025 09:07

Violashifts · 25/02/2025 09:04

You are riight OP. My daughter has Arfid and she likes the unpredictability of maccies but it is really expensive. Especially if go for delivery.

A hash brown is £2. Family of 5 thats a tenner for a little side.

Interesting to see how prices vary. I just checked my local one and hash browns are £1.49 here.

Mademetoxic · 25/02/2025 09:11

SandalsandPools · 25/02/2025 09:07

Interesting to see how prices vary. I just checked my local one and hash browns are £1.49 here.

But you can buy a big bag of hash browns for that price.

It still adds up.

EarlierDistraction · 25/02/2025 09:12

DS and I went on Sunday and spent £17 on a Big Mac meal for me and separate burger, side and shake for him. It was for convenience rather than a treat but it is still cheaper than eating out anywhere else (maybe except Wetherspoons).

SandalsandPools · 25/02/2025 09:14

Mademetoxic · 25/02/2025 09:11

But you can buy a big bag of hash browns for that price.

It still adds up.

Obviously but I expect to pay more when eating out than I would when eating at home. I can make a cheap pasta dish at home but I don’t expect my local Italian restaurant to only charge me what it’d cost me if made at home.

But my point was that it’s interesting to see the difference in prices in McDonald’s across the country.

Violashifts · 25/02/2025 09:17

@SandalsandPools

Just eat adds a lot of money onto the food too. So for delivery it's insane.

SandalsandPools · 25/02/2025 09:19

Yes. I agree that Just Eat costs can be ridiculous. Personally I wouldn’t use JE again for McDonald’s. I don’t think that the food travels well. I’d rather wait until I was near an actual restaurant.

sometimesmovingforwards · 25/02/2025 09:20

I see it as emergency food ie late flight home and it’s the only place open. It’s really low quality food, so not a treat in any way.

CeeJay81 · 25/02/2025 09:24

Once every 2 months maybe. We live rural, so you can't just pop and get one(it's 18 miles away) or do just eat etc cause we don't have it. So it's usually when we are travelling somewhere as a treat. I don't find it expensive and there is often offers on the app.

FraidSo · 25/02/2025 09:27

I only eat McD’s on a long drive though I love it, but am always shocked by it costing about £14 for just me!

OatFlatWhiteForMe · 25/02/2025 09:28

I'm not a fan, we eat out regularly but prefer quality ingredients. DC probably twice a year and usually because we need something travelling or after a concert etc.

£20 on just your DD seems excessive.

madamweb · 25/02/2025 09:32

DD was like this. She now has a Saturday job in McDonald's. She can eat it for free whenever she likes. She rarely wants to now she has seen how it was made Grin

DiggieToe · 25/02/2025 09:33

McDonald's is not good at all. I would eat a Burger King meal if I was absolutely famished and it's late at night and everything is closed, but McDonalds is not real food.

Have you ever watched those videos on YouTube where people put a McDonald's burger in a jar and a 'burger van' burger in a jar next to it? The standard burger starts growing mould after a few days but the McDonald's burger never does. Ever!

I think there was the story of a man who bought a burger, left it in his coat pocket and forgot about it for years and it never grew mould.

The amount of additives, preservatives and aspartame in some of its drinks - I personally would stay away, but of course 'live and let live'... albeit relatively not for long, as it just spells cancer for me. It's anything but a treat.

Rainbow1235 · 25/02/2025 09:34

I agree it’s so expensive now and I’m still starving after I’ve eaten it 😂I would rather go to a marstons pub if we do decide to eat out at least u get a proper meal and I come home feeling full

Fupoffyagrasshole · 25/02/2025 09:35

It’s not expensive if you use the app and follow the deals.

SandalsandPools · 25/02/2025 09:37

DiggieToe · 25/02/2025 09:33

McDonald's is not good at all. I would eat a Burger King meal if I was absolutely famished and it's late at night and everything is closed, but McDonalds is not real food.

Have you ever watched those videos on YouTube where people put a McDonald's burger in a jar and a 'burger van' burger in a jar next to it? The standard burger starts growing mould after a few days but the McDonald's burger never does. Ever!

I think there was the story of a man who bought a burger, left it in his coat pocket and forgot about it for years and it never grew mould.

The amount of additives, preservatives and aspartame in some of its drinks - I personally would stay away, but of course 'live and let live'... albeit relatively not for long, as it just spells cancer for me. It's anything but a treat.

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-why-mcdonalds-burgers-never-rot

Read this for an explanation of what is actually happening with the burgers.

Violashifts · 25/02/2025 09:38

Now Burger king at a services. That was ridiculous. £60 for a family of 4. Two big teens but still.

paulhollywoodshairgel · 25/02/2025 09:38

They have a meal deal for £5 you get drink fries 4 nuggets and either a chicken or beef burger. That makes a difference for us.

ViciousCurrentBun · 25/02/2025 09:39

It’s motorway service station stuff for us, there was a time I visiting down South every month so quite a bit but that was a long time ago. I can’t remember the last time I had a burger but DH and I like a McFlurry in the summer and they are a cheap price.

Danikm151 · 25/02/2025 09:47

The cost of McDonalds has gone up a lot. A happy meal is now £4 and the portion is small. We could go to a pub and get a kids meal for that price.
same with the drinks.

as they run on a franchise system some are more expensive than others.

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