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McDonald’s is catching heat on social media after a TikTok video called out the fast food giant for their Dollar Menu which has no items that actually cost $1 on it.
It has now been over five years since McDonald’s introduced its $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu, after dumping its original Dollar Menu in 2013.
“We built this new menu with variety and value firmly in mind,” Chris Kempczinski, president of McDonald’s USA, said in a statement announcing the program. “The menu is the first time McDonald’s has included the popular Happy Meal at the $3 level, among the promoted value offerings.
“Our new value menu includes surprises like our completely new Classic Chicken sandwich, the inclusion of our Happy Meal and more. Whatever our guests crave – a delicious meal, a new taste, a mid-day snack or a family treat – they will find that $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu provides them with value and choice.”
The original items offered on the $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu included a Sausage Burrito, McChicken Sandwich, Cheeseburger, and any size soft drink for $1.
Sausage McGriddles, Two-piece Buttermilk Crispy Tenders, Bacon McDouble Burger, and a small McCafé beverage (excluding hot and iced coffee) were $2.
While a Sausage McMuffin with Egg, Classic Chicken Sandwich, Triple Cheeseburger, and Happy Meal were $3.
Now, however, there isn’t anything that costs $1 on the McDonald’s $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu, according to a report by Business Insider.
A viral TikTok video posted by Anne Arroyo this week initially drew the attention of the publication.
“McDonald’s has a dollar menu right now without a single item that costs $1,” Arroyo begins her video, which is tagged as being filmed in Niles, Ohio.
@anna2morrow McDonald’s pricing is getting out of hand. How are you gonna. All something a follar menu and put $1 $2 $3 right next to that when there are no $1 items? This isnt even a McDonald’s in a nice area. #foryoupage #trending #fyp #mcdonalds #capitalism #inflation ♬ original sound – Anna
“Also, 2/3 of that menu is just beverages??? What happened to all the food?” someone else noticed in the comments.
Many other commenters shared how the prices at their local McDonald’s was different, but none said there was anything for $1 on the Dollar Menu.
“I think that the title Dollar Menu is a misnomer,” Arroyo told Insider. “They are trying to capitalize on an old business model that no longer exists, and it just brings more attention to their inflated prices. The Under $3 menu would be more appropriate. I miss the days of being able to get a regular hamburger for 89¢ and a small fry for $1.”
Insider searched McDonald’s locations across the US by using its mobile app and going to a store in Southern California. They too came up empty when it came to finding $1 items on the menu.
In Orange, California, almost everything listed on the value menu was priced closer to $3, except soft drinks and sweet tea—those two items sold for $1.29. The McChicken, which was $1 in 2018, is now priced at $2.39. A McDouble is $2.99, and a small fries is $2.79.
Perhaps if McDonald’s could get their ice cream machines to actually work people wouldn’t be as likely to complain?
Then again, if a store named Dollar Tree can sell all of its items for $1.25 these days then anything goes apparently.