to think McDonalds is expensive?

[TingTradition]

I mean great for a quick, cheap on-the-move treat .

But you get a tiny bit of meat with your burger and unless you stuff yourself with chips and ice-cream on top, are hungry 30 minutes later.

I've just made a delicious huge burger for lunch at home, with lovely seedy bun and big salad, probably for less than £1. [NoMrWhippyThough ]

Greenbucket, he paid on his debit card so I can't think how he'd have pocketed the fiver .

existentialmoment, you sound absolutely charming, you really do.

There are other (independent) pubs around, not just Wetherspoons, you realise. I don't think I've ever been in a Wetherspoons in my life .

Oh and I happen to know the owners of the local chippy, so I know the quality of their food, but I will be sure to pass on your feedback.

It's been an absolute pleasure chatting with you, but really must bid you good-bye. Some of us have better things to be getting on with than googling the price of McDonalds meals just to make a point with strangers on the internet. My point still stands, the quality of the food is shite.

In your opinion. But objectively, it isn't. Its going to be much better quality than your fiver meals in your local pub.

NoBetterName I don't need to google the prices at McDonalds; I work there so I know them off by heart.

NoBetterName And, because I work there, I know perfectly well how good the quality of meat is.

McDonalds has a majority share in the market so can pick and choose its suppliers; it picks the best for a reason.

RedForFilth
Absolutely shocked and appalled by this thread. I can't believe the amount of mumsnetters who have even cast their eyes in the same direction as a McDonald's. Won't anyone think of the children!

alltouchedout
Don't worryRed, I refer myself to social services after each and every visit to a fast food place.

Brilliant.

It's not food. It's a novelty item

Of course it's food. Don't be silly.

It's not food. It's a novelty item

Of course it's food, and it contains better quality ingredients than a lot of general restaurants; simply because they have such a majority market share they're able to choose the best.

NoBetterName McDonald's prices are standardised and easily available. It's like wondering how someone has discovered the top secret info of when the X Factor will be on TV! So knock off the 'ooh, you're frightfully well informed' schtick. You yourself sound very ill informed about food prices and restaurant costs in general. And I simply don't believe the plaster in the fries story. Came out too late in your narrative.

Can't believe I'm here defending McDs as I don't go much!

Does anyone else really want some chicken nuggets now?

no extras

1 happy meal

4 burger meals

You can't compare home made to anything prepared/served for you. Not only are there the overheads, staff costs, building costs, power, etc., there's also a whopping 20% VAT. Of the £6 paid to McDonalds, £1 of that goes straight to the VATman whereas there's no VAT on your basic foodstuffs.

You can only compare it against cafes, other fast food outlets, etc.

Personally, I'm shocked at recent price rises at our local fish & chip shop and chinese for takeaways. MaccyD's are now a lot cheaper than those, whereas a few years ago, they were closer to being similar.

Just got back from a holiday to Spain. Sad (and ashamed) to say, we ate quite a bit from McDs and Burger Kings. The prices in cafes and restaurants were crazy and we just couldn't afford them, so tended to cook our own from supermarkets for evening meals and go to McD or BurgerKing for lunches. Never had to do that before, but even lunchtime snacks were over a tenner per person in cafes.

McDonald's prices are standardised and easily available. It's like wondering how someone has discovered the top secret info of when the X Factor will be on TV!

Maybe you spend your time googling MacDonald's prices. I can't be bothered. It was an anecdote, recalled off the top of my head. You know, like people do. I didn't realise that MN these days only allowed carefully researched and cross-checked stories these days.

You yourself sound very ill informed about food prices and restaurant costs in general.

Guess what? It's not my field of work. Shock horror. Unlike WhatToDoAboutThis2017 who has stated that he/she works there. But given that we eat out fairly regularly, I think I'm fairly well aware how much I pay (I just avoid McDonalds if I can).

And I simply don't believe the plaster in the fries story. Came out too late in your narrative.

That's your choice. A photo was tweeted to McDonalds at the time - it was a couple of years ago now. They sent me £10 worth of vouchers (which were donated to something for the PTFA because I was unlikely to make use of them). In addition to cross-referencing every anecote for accuracy, should I give a full history of every experience in a McDonalds?

Since when did MN stop being a place where you could just chit-chat, and start becoming so uptight. Yes, clearly the price I quoted was incorrect. It's hardly a big deal without half a dozen posters wading in to wag their fingers.

YABU.
It's the most inexpensive place to eat....and contrary to what others have said, it's not at all junk.
Check out the recipes....100%beef or chicken meat etc.

Cinema snacks on the other hand.....extortionate!

I have to agree. It used to be a good option for a cheap place to eat on daytrips and suchlike (even in Europe!) and now it does seem a tad pricey.

I went there a few months back with my daughter and my DH, and she had a veggie meal, he had a happy meal (he didn't fancy much,) and I had an ice cream and a coffee. It cost nearly ELEVEN POUNDS!

It is now THREE POUNDS for six chicken nuggets. Me and DH went there on our own, and instead of getting 2 extra value meals each, (which cost over nine pounds,) we got a large fries, and 2 packs of 6 nuggets and one drink between us (thinking it would save money,) and were horrified when it still cost around nine pounds!

Now, we only go in for a coffee or latte, and the occasional large fries, or sundae.

Since when did MN stop being a place where you could just chit-chat, and start becoming so uptight

I think it was when you were rude to people who merely corrected you when you were quite wrong.

Chit-chat's good. Love it You're the one making absolute statements and claiming that you know about the quality / expense (or lack thereof) of various foods. Then you go all 'oh, did people expect something vaguely accurate? when questioned. If you'd said you were just talking shite for fun at the start, we'd all have known where we were!

Anyway, the chit-chat's been an absolute pleasure. Off to my quotidian sandwich lunch now.

I went there a few months back with my daughter and my DH, and she had a veggie meal, he had a happy meal (he didn't fancy much,) and I had an ice cream and a coffee. It cost nearly ELEVEN POUNDS!

OMG! Eleven whole pounds for a whole vegetarian meal, a kids meal, 3 drinks AND an ice cream!!
Lol, what planet are you people on? I know food in the UK is ridiculously cheap but come on!

The happy meals are good value for money though. The toys are indestructible and must be worth more than the price of the meal! I still have toys from 5 years ago.

It is now THREE POUNDS for six chicken nuggets

It's 2 pounds 69 pence for 6 pieces of 100% chicken breast and a dip, cooked for you. How much less do you think that should cost?

It's like people expect it to be free or something 🤣 £11- I just spent that in pret on my lunch. Now that is expensive!

McDonald's is cheap. Obviously if you double the price of everything there and try and convince everyone that's what you paid it won't be

No existential, but I could go a big mac.

pennysnow For all the meals, drinks and ice cream you got that is really good value.

And yes, if you buy the items separately they are more expensive

NoBetterName If you state something so wildly incorrect, people are going to correct you.

McDonald's prices are standardised and easily available.

Butterymuffin, that may be true for the UK, but not necessarily for other countries. For example in Germany 80% of all branches are operated by independent franchisees who can set their prices as they see fit. Source: www.mcdonalds.de/haufige-fragen.

Depending on where you are (tourist hotspot or airport vs. small town in a poorer area) prices do vary quite a bit. I haven't been to McDonalds in ages but do faintly remember going into a branch that was charging almost double the normal prices somewhere very touristy in either France or Italy several years ago. In Switzerland you pay around 12-14 CHF (about £10) for a single meal. A quick google also found other people claiming to have payed 10 € for a Royale at McDonalds in the Galeries Lafayette.

So before you accuse NoBetter or her DH of lying, maybe do get your facts straight.