McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger addresses viral social media posts and reports about significant price increases at the fast-food chain, calling them inaccurate. The company navigates inflationary pressures and regional conflicts impacting sales.
One of the world's largest fast-food chains, McDonald's, recently denied viral social media posts about product prices, suggesting that the company significantly increased its prices above inflationary rates. In an open letter, Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald's USA, addressed these issues, calling them inaccurate.
Erlinger expressed his disappointment at spreading misinformation, such as the claim that an $18 Big Mac meal was being sold. He stressed that some very high prices were the exception, not the rule. Heal is concerned about people believing otherwise or suggesting that Big Mac prices have increased by 100% since 2019.
Erlinger pointed out that McDonald's franchisees, who own and operate more than 95% of all restaurants in the United States, work hard to mitigate the impact of price increases on customers, even though inflationary pressures have been felt throughout every sector of the economy.
“Inflationary pressures have affected all sectors of the economy, including ours. Our franchisees (who own and operate more than 95% of all restaurants in the U.S.) set menu prices for their restaurants, which account for the increased costs of running their businesses,” Erlinger continued. “In doing so, they work hard to minimize the impact of price increases on our fans. This includes our restaurant menu boards' everyday prices and special limited-time offers.”
Besides inflation, McDonald's is also experiencing other rather unusual pressures. According to the company's annual report for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, sales in its licensed markets business, which includes most of its Middle East locations, increased by just 0.7%. The low number was attributed to the ‘impact of the war’ between Israel and Hamas.
During an earnings call, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski acknowledged that the company witnessed the “most pronounced impact” in the Middle East and other Muslim countries, including Indonesia and Malaysia. There have been calls for a boycott of the franchise in some countries due to the current conflict.
As McDonald’s navigates this complex economic landscape, it remains committed to transparency and factual communication with its customers. McDonald’s is still consumed by continuing to serve nearly 90% of the U.S. population every year, striving to provide quality food at affordable prices.
