McDonald’s tried to calm people’s concerns about menu prices. It just created more headlines

Not long ago, a crisp $5 bill would get you an entire meal at McDonald’s, any day of the week.

It’s not a reality in 2024, but the brand doesn’t want to let go of its Value Meal maker label—despite the price of a deliciously salty order of fries going up by 44% in five years.

Across the menu board, prices have drastically increased, but that’s not stopping the fast food giant from trying to flip public perception over the inflamed cost of burgers. In a recent blog post, Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, debunked some of the more dramatic examples of prices hikes circulating on social media.