A social media user has sparked outrage after exposing the sky-high prices at a McDonald's restaurant, specifically of the popular combo meals.
The video, which shows the cost of combo meals from the food menu of a McDonald's location in Connecticut, has left users expressing disbelief over the exorbitant prices.
In the video, which has attracted hundreds of views, TikTok user @xconmedia can be seen filming the menu of a McDonald's restaurant in Connecticut, as he expresses his shock at the jaw-dropping prices.
In the video, he states: "Well, well, well. So I'm up here in Connecticut, right? Does anybody see the prices of these combo meals? The prices of a Big Mac combo meal? $16.89?"
The user also referred to the stimulus checks that were given out by the government to help Americans cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
@xconmedia suggested that the high prices of the McDonald's combo meals are a way for the fast-food chain to recoup some of the money that customers received in the form of stimulus checks.
"Y'all remember the stimulus checks that they gave out? You thought you was getting away with the stimulus money, ha? They want it back," he added.
The video has since garnered thousands of comments from outraged users, who have expressed their disbelief at the exorbitant prices of McDonald's combo meals.
Many users have called for a boycott of the fast-food chain, while others have criticized the chain for taking advantage of their customers during a time of financial hardship.
One user pointed out that high prices at highway rest stops and airports are common, while another user noted that McDonald's was not worth the cost even when it was $8.
@xconmedia responded with agreement, and several other users joined in with their own anecdotes about high prices at other restaurants.
One user notes that a Big Mac meal in Texas costs $7.19, highlighting the price disparity.
Despite the negative comments, some users remained unfazed by the high prices, suggesting that others would still be willing to pay for the convenience and quality of McDonald's.
Some others found humour in the situation, making jokes or sarcastic comments about the high prices.
The outrage comes as McDonald's announced it is laying off hundreds of workers and closing a number of offices in a major restructuring.
The company closed all its US offices this week and asked employees to work from home while the lay-offs were announced.
In a memo to workers posted on the website TheLayoff.com, the hospitality giant said it wanted to “ensure the comfort and confidentiality of our people during the notification period” and would hold all notification meetings virtually.
They added that the layoffs are intended to make McDonald's more efficient.
McDonald's has more than 150,000 employees in corporate roles and in company-owned restaurants, with about 70% of those based outside the US.
The company's revenue was flat at $23.2 billion for the full year in 2022, but its net income fell 18%, partly due to the sale of its business in Russia.
McDonald's President and CEO Chris Kempczinski previously said the company was evaluating roles and staffing levels in various parts of the company.
“We have historically been very decentralized in some areas where we reinvent the wheel way too often,” Kempczinski said during a January conference call with investors.
“And I think the other thing I’ve seen is we haven’t been as sharp around our global priorities, and so there’s been proliferation of priorities.”
Layoffs have been mounting across the country, mainly in the technology sector, where many companies over-hired after a pandemic boom.
IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, Salesforce, Facebook parent Meta, Twitter and DoorDash have all announced layoffs in recent months.
The Mirror has contacted McDonalds for a comment.
