A longtime McDonald’s customer is going viral after revealing how a basic $9 meal spiraled into a $19.60 bill on DoorDash.
The McDonald’s delivery price spike has left fans of the fast-food chain calling the entire system “ridiculous” and “shameful.” The customer’s complaint blew up on X in May, where they wrote, “@McDonalds and @DoorDash should be ashamed of this!” alongside a snapshot of their order.
The order in question? A Double Cheeseburger Meal with a large Hi-C Orange fountain drink and large fries. At McDonald’s, this combo typically costs $9.39. But once the DoorDash delivery fee of $2.49, $4.22 in service fees and taxes, and a $2.50 tip were added, the total soared to $19.60. That’s more than double the meal’s base price, and it was still after using a $1 promotional coupon.
This isn’t an isolated case. Another frustrated customer shared a similar experience where a $10 meal turned into a $25 delivery bill. “Imagine instead of $10, you pay $25 for two McDonald’s cheeseburgers. Absolutely insane,” they posted. And the internet agreed, pointing fingers not just at McDonald’s but at delivery platforms like DoorDash that tack on heavy fees for convenience.
The McDonald’s delivery price spike also highlights a deeper issue in 2025: even fast food isn’t cheap anymore. Just last year, a Big Mac Meal priced at $18 in Connecticut caused outrage, followed by more backlash when a 40-piece Chicken McNuggets bundle was found listed at $25.39. These viral moments forced McDonald’s to address affordability concerns directly.
CEO Chris Kempczinski and CFO Ian Borden assured investors and customers that the chain would shift its focus back to helping the “low-income customer.” This resulted in new offerings like the $5 Meal Deal and a refreshed McValue Menu. The $5 combo includes a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, 4-piece McNuggets, small fries, and a small soft drink, seemingly a bargain. But that promise of value vanishes if customers opt for delivery instead of dining in or ordering for pickup.
It’s not just McDonald’s under fire. Other major fast food chains are also ramping up their value menus. Taco Bell’s $7 Luxe Cravings Box comes loaded with a Chalupa Supreme, Beefy Five-Layer Burrito, Double Stacked Taco, chips with nacho cheese, and a medium drink. Wendy’s $5 Biggie Bag packs in a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger or Crispy Chicken Sandwich, nuggets, junior fries, and a drink. Burger King’s $5 Your Way Meal offers a Whopper Junior, Chicken Junior, or Bacon Cheeseburger, plus fries, nuggets, and a drink.
Still, delivery fees from third-party platforms are ruining the value equation across the board. And it’s not just customers complaining, fast food workers have admitted they struggle to afford meals at the very places they work. That’s how high prices have climbed.
One expert told The U.S. Sun that five major trends are currently pushing fast food prices up in 2025: supply chain issues, rising labor costs, inflation, delivery app fees, and shifting menu strategies. And while apps like DoorDash offer convenience, they also introduce hidden costs that many consumers don’t realize until they hit “checkout.”
McDonald’s and DoorDash have yet to respond directly to the viral complaints, but the anger keeps spreading. The conversation around the McDonald’s delivery price spike isn’t dying down, it’s growing louder as more people share screenshots and horror stories of unexpectedly massive bills.
If there’s a takeaway here, it’s that value meals only stay valuable if you avoid the delivery trap. Whether it’s a $5 McDonald’s deal or a $7 Taco Bell box, the cost-effectiveness disappears when convenience comes with a 100% markup. With pricing this out of control, more and more customers may return to old-school drive-thrus or counter pickups just to avoid breaking the bank on basic meals.
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