Prices are approximate and vary by restaurant. Last updated September 2026.
Yes — McDonald’s prices in the UK have been going up, and 2026 has continued the trend. If your regular order costs more than it used to, you’re not imagining it. But the story is more nuanced than a simple “everything costs more”: some items have risen faster than others, the premium end of the menu has stretched upward, and the budget end has held remarkably firm.
Here’s an honest look at what’s happening to prices, why, and what you can do about it.
The short answer
McDonald’s UK menu prices have risen gradually over recent years, broadly in line with food inflation across the hospitality sector. In 2026, the most visible sign of the trend is at the top of the menu: new premium items like the Big Arch (around £8.79, with meals over £10) and the limited-edition Chicken Big Mac (around £5.59) have pushed the ceiling higher than ever before.
Meanwhile, the core value items — the cheeseburger (around £1.40–£1.90), the Mayo Chicken (around £1.40–£2), the hamburger (around £1.20–£1.70) — have risen too, but far more slowly. The Saver Menu still starts from about £1.09. So while the average spend per visit has crept up, the floor hasn’t moved much.
Why are prices rising?
Several forces are at work, and they’re the same ones affecting every restaurant in Britain:
- Food costs. Beef, chicken, potatoes, cooking oil and dairy have all become more expensive. McDonald’s buys at enormous scale, which cushions the blow, but it can’t escape commodity prices entirely.
- Wages. Staff pay has risen, and rightly so — but labour is one of the biggest costs in any restaurant, and higher wages feed through to menu prices.
- Energy. Running fryers, grills and dining rooms around the clock (many branches are open 24 hours or keep very long hours) uses a lot of power, and energy costs remain elevated.
- Packaging and supply chain. Everything from paper bags to delivery logistics costs more than it did a few years ago.
None of this is unique to McDonald’s. The entire eating-out sector has raised prices — and by comparison, McDonald’s increases have been relatively modest. A pub burger or a high-street lunch that cost £8 five years ago might cost £11–£12 now; the equivalent McDonald’s meal has risen by a smaller proportion.
What has actually gone up in 2026?
Rather than across-the-board hikes, 2026’s price story is about menu strategy:
- New premium items reset the ceiling. The Big Arch at around £8.79 is the most expensive permanent burger McDonald’s UK has sold. When the top of the menu moves up, it normalises higher spending — even if you never order it.
- Limited editions carry premium pricing. The Chicken Big Mac at around £5.59 costs more than a standard Big Mac (around £4–£5.50). Limited-time items almost always launch at a premium, and customers have shown they’ll pay it.
- Meal prices have edged up. The Big Mac medium meal (around £5–£7) and Quarter Pounder meals have drifted upward in many locations, though the meal deal structure still offers good value versus buying items separately.
- Delivery keeps getting pricier. Menu prices on Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo run higher than in-store, and fees add more. If a growing share of orders comes via delivery, the effective price customers pay rises even when the in-store board barely moves.
What hasn’t gone up much
It’s worth stressing the other side of the ledger:
- The Saver Menu remains the bedrock of McDonald’s value, with items from about £1.09. The Mayo Chicken, cheeseburger and small fries are still astonishingly cheap by 2026 high-street standards.
- Breakfast value persists: porridge around £1, hash browns under £1, and full breakfast meals between £4 and £5.50.
- The Happy Meal (around £2.90–£3.50) remains one of Britain’s cheapest children’s meals.
McDonald’s knows its value reputation is its superpower. The company has a strong incentive to keep entry-level prices low even as it pushes premium items higher — a strategy sometimes called “barbell pricing”: cheap at the bottom, indulgent at the top.
How McDonald’s compares to the wider market
Context matters. Consider what else your money buys in 2026:
- A meal deal from a supermarket: £3.50–£4 (cold food, no fries).
- A high-street coffee chain sandwich and drink: £7–£9.
- A pub burger and chips: £11–£14.
- A Big Mac medium meal: around £5–£7, hot and filling.
Even after years of increases, McDonald’s remains dramatically cheaper than most alternatives. The price rises feel noticeable because the starting point was so low — a 20p increase on a £1.50 cheeseburger is a 13% jump, but it’s still 20p.
Will prices keep rising?
Honestly? Probably, yes — gradually. The cost pressures on the business (wages, food, energy) aren’t reversing, and no major fast-food chain has ever sustained a long-term price freeze. But there are reasons for cautious optimism:
- Competition from Burger King, KFC and the supermarkets disciplines pricing.
- The value end of the menu is strategically important to McDonald’s, so expect the Saver Menu to stay cheap.
- The MyMcDonald’s app increasingly delivers personalised discounts, which effectively lowers prices for engaged customers even as headline prices rise.
The realistic expectation for the next year or two: small, incremental increases on core items, continued premium launches at the top end, and more app-based deals to soften the impact.
How to beat the price rises
You can’t control the menu board, but you can control your order:
- Order from the Saver Menu. It’s the single most effective way to keep costs down — items from about £1.09.
- Use the MyMcDonald’s app. Points on every order turn into free food, and rotating offers can cut pounds off a meal.
- Try Wraps of the Day. The daily discounted wrap is often the best-value substantial item available.
- Skip delivery. The mark-up on delivery apps is the fastest way to inflate your bill.
- Do the meal maths. Sometimes a burger plus separate fries beats the meal price; usually it doesn’t — but check.
- Watch for receipt surveys offering discounts on future visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have McDonald’s UK prices gone up in 2026?
Yes, gradually. The most visible rises are new premium items like the Big Arch (around £8.79) and limited editions like the Chicken Big Mac (around £5.59). Core value items have risen more slowly.
Why is McDonald’s more expensive than it used to be?
Higher costs for food, wages, energy and packaging across the whole hospitality sector. McDonald’s increases have been relatively modest compared with pubs and high-street chains.
What is the most expensive item on the McDonald’s UK menu?
The Big Arch, at around £8.79 for the burger with meals going over £10, currently sits at the top of the permanent menu.
Are prices the same at every McDonald’s?
No. Restaurants set their own prices, so you’ll generally pay more in central London and other high-cost areas.
Will McDonald’s prices come back down?
That’s unlikely. Menu prices in fast food very rarely fall; the realistic hope is that rises stay small and value options remain.
Is McDonald’s still good value compared with other options?
Yes. Even after the rises, a Big Mac meal at around £5–£7 is far cheaper than equivalent meals from most high-street and pub alternatives.
Final thoughts
McDonald’s UK prices are going up — but slowly, unevenly, and from a very low base. The genius of the current menu is that it serves two customers at once: the budget eater, who can still get a hot meal for under £3 from the Saver Menu, and the treat-seeker, who can now spend over £10 on a Big Arch meal. As long as the cheap end holds, McDonald’s keeps its crown as Britain’s value fast-food leader — even if your receipt is a little longer than it used to be.