I think it’s fair to say that most of us will have visited a McDonald’s at some point in our lives, whether as a child, as a parent, or as an adult out and about. The menu has evolved over the years, and I must say I’m quite partial to a coffee from McDonald’s as a cheap alternative to the bigger coffee brands.
It’s also fair to say the cost has crept up, just as it has at every other restaurant over the last few years, which I explored in The Big Mac Test. It certainly doesn’t feel like the cheap outing it used to, so when a McDonald’s Big Mac deal comes along, I think it’s worth investigating and sharing. As someone who is partial to a Big Mac and a big saving, having the two combined felt like something I needed to take advantage of, although calling it a big discount might be slightly overselling it. Here are the details.
How the McDonald’s Big Mac deal works
The offer is a Big Mac and medium fries for £2.99 when you order through the McDonald’s app. It works for pickup or delivery, but you need the app, and it is one use only. It is for over 18s, at participating restaurants only, and subject to availability.
When you can use it
This is the catch that is easy to miss. The terms say the deal is only valid from 00:01 until 04:59 and from 11:00 until 23:59, so you cannot use it during the morning breakfast hours of 05:00 to 10:59. The offer went live on Tuesday 3 November and is valid for 6 days, so counting that first day it runs until Sunday 8 November. The terms say to check the expiry date on your voucher under Rewards and Offers in the app, so do that before you plan a trip. McDonald’s lists its current app offers on its official deals page.
Watch the delivery costs
This is where the deal can stop being cheap. The terms list a delivery fee from 99p, a service fee of 10% of your basket capped at £2.99, and a small order fee of £1.50 if your basket is under £10, each set by your chosen restaurant. With the deal alone coming to £2.99, that small order fee kicks in, so on the minimum figures you are looking at roughly £5.78 before you have added a drink. I also found when looking at McDonald’s delivery hidden costs that menu prices can be higher for delivery than for collection, so pickup is where this deal makes the most sense.
No drink included
There is no drink with this deal, which catches people out. A medium Coke Zero was £2.09 when I checked, so here is how the sums looked at my local restaurant.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Big Mac and medium fries deal | £2.99 |
| Medium Coke Zero | £2.09 |
| Deal meal with a drink | £5.08 |
| Standard meal with a drink | £7.69 |
| Saving | £2.61 |
Prices vary from restaurant to restaurant, so check yours in the app before you order.
Is the Big Mac deal worth it?
Even with a drink added, the deal comes to £5.08 against £7.69 for the standard meal, which is a saving of £2.61. So the good news is the deal is real, and it could save you a little bit of money if you fancy treating yourself to a McDonald’s, even more so if you can avoid buying a drink! So not quite a big discount, but the value is there, and that’s good enough for me.
If you like keeping an eye on how McDonald’s prices move, the Big Mac is one of the ten items in my Sensible Basket, and for more ways to trim everyday costs, take a look at my Spending Habits guide.