# Is McDonalds becoming a luxury meal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 9, 2024, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311 "2024-05-09T12:42:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/1 "2024-05-09T12:42:23Z")
McD’s used to be a place where a family can afford to enjoy a meal together. At many of their locations kids could play in the park while the adults talked around the table. Now McD’s is pretty much a time saver, a quick grab and go meal. And when you deliver something fast you can often charge a premium. This seems like where McD’s is going. Their only affordable option would be the use of coupons or their app which also provides a discount, but only one per order and both are difficult to use when one is in a hurry. I feel this is their attempt to hold on to those who still want some of that original McD’s experience, an affordable meal to enjoy. And limited the use of deals and the time consuming process of redemption does not play well with the drive thru, so they are not cannibalizing their premium service at the premium price. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/2 "2024-05-09T12:47:48Z")
Luxury prices, not luxury food. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/3 "2024-05-09T12:48:50Z")
No. Luxury meals cost a lot more than that, and taste much better. Eating out at all is becoming a luxury for many people, not just at McDonalds. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/4 "2024-05-09T12:50:46Z")
Luxury ? It’s still pretty cheap food. I don’t eat at McD’s very often, but I’ve never had an issue using the app to get a discount going through the drive-thru. You just give them a four-digit code at the start of the order and any discounts are applied. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/5 "2024-05-09T12:51:08Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Luxury prices, not luxury food. Quite so. McDonalds is cheap (but creeping up), quick and basic. Many years ago in Las Vegas I had a $50 burger and chips! Waygu beef with truffles were the reason it was so expensive. That might qualify as a ‘luxury’ meal. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/6 "2024-05-09T12:54:19Z")
Fast food pricing is weird. If you just walk in, it’s $17. If you use their phone app, it’s $4. If you use a phone app with delivery, it’s $62. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/7 "2024-05-09T12:59:26Z")
> [@glee](#): > > > [@running\_coach](#): > > > > Luxury prices, not luxury food. > > Quite so. > > McDonalds is cheap (but creeping up), quick and basic. > > Many years ago in Las Vegas I had a $50 burger and chips! > **Waygu beef** with truffles were the reason it was so expensive. That might qualify as a ‘luxury’ meal. 😉 - If they’re grinding it up, I doubt it was _real_ Wagyu beef. Maybe beef from that region but not what the name implies. More likely, it was the truffles driving up the price. If they were real. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/8 "2024-05-09T13:10:16Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > No. Luxury meals cost a lot more than that, and taste much better. Does it cost a lot more than that? If one considers dining an experience as well as food, what is the average price per hour of a drive thru McD’s vs a fine restaurant? Sometimes time savings is a luxury as well. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/9 "2024-05-09T13:13:25Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > Fast food pricing is weird. If you just walk in, it’s $17. If you use their phone app, it’s $4. If you use a phone app with delivery, it’s $62. The in-store value menu is strange, too. I ate at a McDonalds near the Grand Canyon recently. A sausage McMuffin was $6 for one or two for $5. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/10 "2024-05-09T13:16:22Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > If they’re grinding it up, I doubt it was _real_ Wagyu beef. Maybe beef from that region but not what the name implies. More likely, it was the truffles driving up the price. If they were real. Well they advertised it as both Waygu and truffles and in the ‘land of lawyers’ I’m happy to believe it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/11 "2024-05-09T13:19:09Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Well they advertised it as both Waygu and truffles and in the ‘land of lawyers’ I’m happy to believe it. There is Waygu and there is Waygu, both can be called it, only one is the type from Japan that is exported in very limited quantities. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/12 "2024-05-09T13:19:59Z")
Franchisees can set the prices to whatever they want is my understanding. Adjacent locations can have wildly different prices. I’ve found one location near me, not that far from two other locations, that sells chicken sandwich combos for under $6, while the other two charge $11. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/13 "2024-05-09T13:26:40Z")
> [@glee](#): > > > [@running\_coach](#): > > > > If they’re grinding it up, I doubt it was _real_ Wagyu beef. Maybe beef from that region but not what the name implies. More likely, it was the truffles driving up the price. If they were real. > > Well they advertised it as both Waygu and truffles and in the ‘land of lawyers’ I’m happy to believe it. 😃 Which do you think is the better Wagyu? Even the cheaper one is too high to grind into burgers. [https://wildforkfoods.com/products/wagyu-beef-ribeye-steak/?region\_id=990500&gad\_source=1](https://wildforkfoods.com/products/wagyu-beef-ribeye-steak/?region_id=990500&gad_source=1) (57.98lb) [![](https://images.ctfassets.net/ttw7uwgviuml/1Y7loebafmyGLlJATPHnoC/d01dd132038468173bd5cadde207f07b/1851_WF_Raw_Wagyu_Beef_Ribeye_Steak_Beef.jpg?fm=jpg&fl=progressive&w=650&h=650) ](https://images.ctfassets.net/ttw7uwgviuml/1Y7loebafmyGLlJATPHnoC/d01dd132038468173bd5cadde207f07b/1851_WF_Raw_Wagyu_Beef_Ribeye_Steak_Beef.jpg?fm=jpg&fl=progressive&w=650&h=650) > **[Ozaki A5 Japanese Wagyu Ribeye BMS 11+](https://www.dorasti.com/products/new-japanese-wagyu-ready-cut-steak-premium-grade-a5?variant=34960534208670¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1)** > > A5 premium grade Japanese Wagyu. This particular Wagyu beef is distinguishable in taste, quality, texture, and aroma due to the impeccable and honorable living conditions and treatment, quality feed, and most notably, three generations of research in... ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/14 "2024-05-09T13:26:58Z")
And then there’s airport food. Before a flight we stopped for Bloody Mary’s (doubles) and my gf had a bagel. Our flight was called, so I signaled for the check. I put a hundred dollar bill down on the counter. My gf tsk-tsk me, because I was going to use up all their change. I explained that I wasn’t going to be getting change, the bill and tip came to $100. ---
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/15 "2024-05-09T13:38:07Z")
I agree that McDonald’s pricing has crept up recently, but nowhere near close to the cost of a “luxury meal”. Still cheaper than a sit down casual restaurant. Get a 1/4 pounder deluxe meal for just under $10.00 at McDonald’s. Same meal at Applebees would be $15-18.00. And I would prefer the taste of the food (especially the fries) over Applebees. My wife and I, each of us using the app along with the BOGO code from filling out the survey can get 2 1/4s, 2 large fries, and 2 drinks for under $9.00. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/16 "2024-05-09T13:38:52Z")
You can still get deals, at least for one or two, but you pretty much have to use their app. Which is true for all fast food. For example, I had a basic quarter pounder meal for $6 the other day but had to use the app. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/17 "2024-05-09T13:53:46Z")
I saw a chart (which I can’t find at the moment) that showed fast food prices have way outpaced standard inflation. It’s gotten quite out of hand. It’s really not any cheaper than Panera these days. I wouldn’t really say it’s a luxury meal but you can get better food for a similar price. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/18 "2024-05-09T14:23:15Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Sometimes time savings is a luxury as well. It’s called ‘fast food’ for a reason. The reason isn’t that it’s luxurious. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/19 "2024-05-09T14:28:30Z")
> [@a6ka97](#): > > Still cheaper than a sit down casual restaurant. That’s not as true as it used to be. Independent Mexican and Asian often beats McDs for price, quality, quantity and overall experience. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311/20 "2024-05-09T14:32:06Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > > [@kanicbird](#): > > > > Sometimes time savings is a luxury as well. > > It’s called ‘fast food’ for a reason. The reason isn’t that it’s luxurious. Although McD’s has tried to pretend it is. [Mac Tonight,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Tonight) anyone? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-mcdonalds-becoming-a-luxury-meal/1001311.md?page=2)