Former McDonald's chef reveals true reason behind cheap value meals at fast food chains

With tactical marketing practices, corporations have been tricking people for several decades. Only when we dig deeper, we understand that there has been a catch in those slashed prices and package deals. While we expect to save money, the businesses profit from those deals. Speaking from the fast food restaurants' point of view, Chef Mike Haracz, a former McDonald's corporate chef elaborated on how bundling value meals benefit the business.

Haracz explained the math behind fast food restaurants including McDonald's bundle value meals. "If you think about these bundles, you are usually getting four items- two that are a little more, let's say, premium and two that are a lot cheaper," he pointed out. Turns out these businesses greatly profit from the cheaper items whose actual value is way less than the price set for them. For instance, the small fries that come along with the value meal are as cheap as peanuts, as per Haracz and the packaging is just a paper bag. Even if this item sells for $1, the chef says that it's a great profit for the fast food restaurant.

Also, such value meals include a soft drink and in this case, Haracz says, "The cup costs more than the drink. You're basically buying packaging." He then explained that in McDonald's the four-piece chicken nuggets which is the cheaper item in the value meal serve as a source of "traditional profit on their sales." Whereas, with the premium items in the value meal like the McDouble or McChicken, the fast food chain cannot make much profit. "Smart people like myself and you would just buy a bunch of the burgers and they would not make as much money," he added.

Haracz emphasized that fast food chains like McDonald's bundle these value meals so that we "might be ordering things we normally wouldn't." We may not usually need a small fry or a small drink, but looking at the tempting "value meal," offer, we would jump for it. "That is why they don't want to break it down to individual components because they will make a lot less money doing that," the chef explained. "It will entice you to come to McDonald's instead of any other restaurant. They are trying to steal shares from other people and get guests to come to their restaurant for the value meal. If they make a little less money than they normally do, that's okay because they're stealing business from the other person," he added.

Realizing the truth behind value meals, people were astonished. Some even pointed out more such scams by fast food restaurants. "Every time I go to a McDonald’s the fry container is only half full. Seems like all of them do it," noted @3939steve. "Also, they hike up the individual price so that it's cheaper to get the bundle than the one or two things you really want," chimed in @agirlandhercat15. "I tried to order a McDouble with an extra piece of cheese and was told you can’t do that. The Double Cheeseburger at that point was an extra $1.00," said @bennythejet_rodriguez.

You can follow Chef Mike Haracz (@chefmikeharacz) on TikTok for more informative content on fast food.