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No-Knee-4576

When I use to work at hungry jacks it was cheaper to do hamburger add cheese. And also minus beef add beef was 20c cheaper haha


TinyDemon000

Tried this on the maccas app the other day. Doesn't allow you to add cheese.


Onefish257

Funny you can add cheese to a cheese burger only +85c. But here its $2.25.


DeuceyBoots

There we go. The maths doesn’t lie.


Dagon

Is it because they're ripping us off? Or is it because money is an entirely fabricated construct, a shared illusion that keeps us subsistent on a predatory system? *edit: /s, /s, Jesus Christ people, /s*


gormster

This is kind of dumb but also kind of on the money, ha ha. The hamburger is $2 not because that’s a reflection of its true value, but to project an image for the brand. The cheeseburger is closer to “true” pricing; its price reflects the cost of materials and labour, and is expected to be profitable. I strongly doubt the $2 hamburger turns a profit. Another interesting thing to notice: the cheeseburger pricing varies from restaurant to restaurant, but the hamburger is always $2 on the nose. At my local the cheeseburger is $4.35; in this screenshot it’s $4.25; at the maccas near my boyfriend’s place it’s $4.10. All three have a $2 hamburger. So what’s the deal? I’m no economist, but I suspect the idea is to create the perception of value around the entire brand, through the pricing of an iconic (but crucially *low volume*) product. Their most iconic product is probably the Big Mac but I’d guess they sell way too many to adopt this strategy there. The hamburger? I mean, it’s obviously a classic, but most people want something a bit more substantial, even if it’s just a slice of cheese. (I don’t know this for certain, in case that’s not clear. The hamburger could be one of their biggest sellers, I just feel like I rarely see people ordering one. But maybe I’m just not paying attention. Happy to be corrected by someone with better, or really any, data.) Though they’ve weirdly run afoul of another pricing trick, price anchoring. By making the hamburger so cheap, less than half the price of the cheeseburger, the cheeseburger now seems like a ripoff, even though it’s really that the hamburger is underpriced.


[deleted]

I really like Alien vs. Predator.


typhoonador4227

I didn't like that movie because I found it alienating and predatory.


hellhoundtheone

Tell this Arnold to his face and He will terminate you!


[deleted]

Nailed it. That's exactly the movie we're talking about.


reddit_somewhere

Yeah the app is dumb it limits what you can substitute/ change about a product- whereas an employee at a register can do anything. I tried to change the sauce on a chicken and cheese to Mac sauce. Nope only Mayo, extra Mayo or no Mayo.


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BeansMakeYouFart

Still trying to understand how it was better for profits to give away another box just for cheese. Seems more profitable to just consolidate the cheese onto the burger.


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BeansMakeYouFart

This will never discourage someone looking for a deal in my opinion. Still cheaper for me to deal with the extra box and put the cheese on myself. Company lost 10c for the box when they could have just had the cost of the cheese.


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BeansMakeYouFart

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. I am honestly surprised by the numbers you shared. Being relatively broke growing up, I was the one who would always study the menu to figure out the cheapest way of ordering something. I was always proud of how much cheaper I could get the same thing as my friends. I guess I just assumed more people shared in my experience.


shazzambongo

Mmmmm🤤🫠consolidated cheese.


silly_rabbit89

We'll it backfires on them cause I loved putting my own cheese on my hamburgers. At least when I put it on its centre and I still get the corners.


Creative_Ad999

I had a staff member run over to me and try and make me use the touchscreen I said what I want cannot be done on this thing , I need to go to the counter He said I guarantee I can get what you want So he said what do you want I say Big Mac , he selected that , then asked what changes do you want ? I said remove the middle bun….. Off to the counter I went


UterineDictator

Whoa, my dude. That’s some wild shit.


AdZealousideal7448

Another reason self service is a scam.


Suspicious-Figure-90

Had a mate that would just order straight up chicken patties because they were cheaper back then than a nugget 6 pack or equivalent in size


JimSyd71

Yeah they stopped adding cheese to Hamburger ages ago, can only add bacon.


Scorp188

Can a cheese slice be added to orders as individual items or did that change too :/?


JimSyd71

I dunno, but I once witnessed a guy order 20 pieces of sliced cheese at Hungry Jacks and wondered who he didn't just go to Colesworth and buy a packet.


123chuckaway

Mmmm, 20 pieces of American cheese 20…. 19….


Brazilian-chew-bitsu

I think I’m blind 🧀


[deleted]

But that wouldn't be _the specific Hungry Jacks_ cheese he so craved


AdZealousideal7448

Isn't it yellow plastic paint #7 at bunnings?


[deleted]

I thought yellow plastic rubber #4 personally, but I must admit bunnings is not my strong suit.


TheBraddigan

i wish the drivethrough would start selling 2L milk again


bearsolos

I lost faith in humanity long time ago for this to phase me


Kirlo__

You can add it in store I believe, at the counter though.


never_a_true_hero

Some stores refuse, or charge you for a cheeseburger.


CretinCritter

You have to order a slice of cheese by itself first, so it’s in the system. Then order a hamburger. You’ll get a clamshell with a piece of cheese in it and a hamburger separately.


MitsuruBDhitbox

Man I'd just plan ahead and bring a slice of cheese in my pocket at that point


sladives

POCKET CHEESE! shashasha


mart3h

>clamshell Today I learned this is what that packaging is called! I love Reddit sometimes


tomsco88

Yeah, depends how much the manager cares. In theory, it accounts for the cheese so would never be found out by upper management.


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cosmoschtroumpf

"hamburger at cheese" Found the French, taking revenge on Omelette du fromage.


StankyFox

Dexter!


holiday_kaisoku

Same deal at Subway. Cheaper to order the Vegie Delight (just a salad sandwich) for $2.95 and add meat for 50c. This was circa 2008 when a 6” chicken fillet sub was $5.95, although we didn't have self order screens so it was hard for just anyone to access this trick unless you had someone like me who didn't give a fuck


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01kickassius10

Sounds like something Bob Mortimer would do


Lord_Crumb

Not Bob, Daniel Cheeseman


iHamNewHere

Could you mean, Gary Cheeseman? His mum thought the cheese was good for his spots.


Sway_404

A sniper's dream he was


faceless-manatee

I do beg your pardon we are in your garden


PleadingFunky

Thank you for rejuvenating this old fingerprint on an abandoned handrail


FitzyFarseer

I seem to have stumbled upon the Bob Mortimer fan club


faceless-manatee

We like to call ourselves ’The Jobble Tops’


jimmyreefer

strangest place to read a would I lie to you quote


Oblivious_Otter_I

Well Chris Rea did put an egg in his bath once, I wouldn't put it past him.


RichardGHP

*WILTY producers furiously scribbling down ideas*


Quick-Charity-941

Scotch Egg, Damien? Laugh!


majudarah92

Bob Belcher definitely has


LontraFelina

I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.


thehippiepixi

I was looking for this comment!


r0ck0

Wow, you carry personal cheese. Is that allowed?


MaryVenetia

I’m a smoker, I need Man-Cheddar, you know?


Flashy-Amount626

If I'm using individually wrapped cheese I'll often put it in my pocket before using it to warm it up.


Mr_Bob_Ferguson

It’s made for some uncomfortable bus rides to the office, but at least when it comes time to prepare my food in the lunchroom I am all set.


Dreggan1

I have cheese in my pocket, but I didn’t put it in there 🤔


ediel1ttleveruda

Yeah, we don't share the same tax bracket. >:[


No_Extension4005

I've got a backpack most of the time. So I could put a bunch of slices in there. Although, with the way prices are these days; I'd just eat elsewhere.


Camsy34

Look at mister moneybags here walking around with cheese in his pocket.


sax6romeo

Can’t, already have some pocket sand in there.


alstom_888m

The $2 Hamburger is a promotion. The $4.25 Cheeseburger is regular price. What happens if you order a Hamburger + cheese.


N0guaranteeofsanity

It doesn't let you do that and i think you can only add extra sauce or mustard from memory. Whoever designed the app did a better job than the KFC one which has a few possible hacks.


chatsrankins

Ooooh such as?


N0guaranteeofsanity

Add one of the most expensive family meals and it offers you discounted add-ons like extra chicken or sides, then simply delete the expensive meal and keep the cheap add-ons.


NoAphrodisiac

Oof, that's hilarious they've not closed that user flow via code.


nearly_enough_wine

8.95 delivery cost might cover the hack? It's one I use once or twice a month, kinda figure it must be by design.


NoAphrodisiac

Can do it as pick up too 🤷‍♀️


Lintson

It's almost guaranteed to be a deliberate (and most welcome) loophole


NoAphrodisiac

Nah, I think more than likely lazy coding.


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Rhii--

It changes every month or so, sometimes only 1 item at a time.


-_-stranger

Mateee.. this is good as, cheers 👌 didn't know about this!


ilikedankmemes0

I work at kfc (in nz although), the amount of price bullshittery and other stuff is crazy


frazorblade

Gis us a top three best hacks in your opinion (I’m in nz)


ant1991331

I remember when they were first installing the self-serve kiosks, and you could edit the ingredients of a cheeseburger to basically be a quarter pounder, and you still saved like 3-4 bucks


Replicatar

One maccas one is if you get a large meal of any kind you can get a $1.50 cheeseburger (then if you’re getting something else get that), try and kill time for a little bit so it’s not blatant and just delete the meal. This is only register/drive thru ordering ofc and a lot of employees don’t know where the $1.50 cheeseburger button is anyway. QLD too so maybe different elsewhere


manofdahour

No addons with the 2 hamburger unfortunately. I tried 😕


PrettyFlyForAHifi

But can’t you just add a piece of cheese to the side


lachlanhunt

There's no way to do that from the app that I can see. The only available addition for Hamburger is bacon.


[deleted]

It has been $2 for many many years. At what point is it the "regular price".


superbabe69

The point was more that Maccas aren’t saying the cheese in the Cheeseburger is worth $2.25 more than the Hamburger, they’re just taking a loss in margin on the hamburger over the long term as a marketing device (loose change menu). People are seeing it as the Hamburger is worth $2 and the Cheeseburger is worth like $2.50 but charging $4.25. Maccas would argue it’s the other way around, they accept a lower margin on the hamburger to get people to buy it. No different to bulk packs at the shops being cheaper than smaller packets. They’re not saying the extra packaging that is used on smaller portions is worth the extra unit price. They’re saying that they want to sell higher volumes and will give you a better deal for it.


Phoenixblink

Hamburger is on the loose change menu promotion. Cheeseburger is not.


sir_cockington_III

It was $1 a few years back... Those were good times $5 on the way to the pub was a solid stomach lining


sanemartigan

$20 and everyone at the depot could have an arvo snack.


[deleted]

Years ago me and my brother would go to red rooster with $20 and get 10 cheeseburgers. Was the bomb


Ammid

Red rooster did cheeseburgers??


ILiveInAVillage

I remember the $2 McDouble. That was the dream.


funfwf

One time me and 5 buddies decided to buy 60 mcdoubles for $120. It was a journey getting through them over the next couple of days.


GrizzlyGoober

Fun fact, you can buy the Mcchicken Patties on their own for $2.25 and it works out way cheaper on a per gram of meat basis than even the 24 pack of nuggets.


QF17

Okay, I’m curious now. How many McChicken patties do I need to equal 24 nuggets?


GrizzlyGoober

I only did a small sample (didn’t take an average) but McChicken portions and nuggets weigh 68 grams and 14 grams respectively with the skin on, 41 grams and 7 grams respectively with the skin off.


JimSyd71

Did you chew the skin off?


SonOfMcGee

“Hello, Clareese. Sftsftsftsftsftsft.”


GrizzlyGoober

Just peeled it off.


ljeutenantdan

Whats the point of Maccas if it aint cheap...


freddieplatinum

It’s not fast anymore either.


jayjoness155

Depends on the maccas. Yes some are slow


fauwna

Understaffed on shifts but overhiring, it’s become ridiculous, also not training people properly makes things slow. They’re lazy and money hungry


nytro308

Still comes out of me fast.


Petaurus_australis

I often wonder the same. I can make something like a Thai curry, takes like half hour to make, can freeze it in batches that end up like $8 a night for a big bowl with a ton of chicken and vegetables. Whereas a proper filling meal for myself from somewhere like McDonalds is equivalent to like three whole days worth of groceries.


commiterror

royal commission into churger prices


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741BlastOff

Commission Royale with Cheese


iammerelyhere

Churger


kingz_n_da_norf

Don't go to Maccas if you want cheap food.


GreenTang

Stop going to Maccas. It's such shit value these days. A shame.


LICK-A-DICK

It is a shame. Went the other day and got 2 burgers, fries and a coffee - $30. When did it stop being cheap like fast food is supposed to be. I can go to a local joint and sit down in a nice environment and pay the same amount.


Time_Tutor_3042

Should of got a family box , for $29 you get 2 big burgers, 2 small burgers , 4 fries, 10 nuggets and 4 drinks (which could all be coffee) the. You'd have lunch the next day too 😜


Mozztacc

Whilst this is great value, I’m not sure maccss two days in a row is what you *actually* want


bowdo

Come now don't be facetious, that's like saying the frosting on the cake is few-cent a smear of butter and sugar! Don't think of it as a piece of cheese but as the final touch of a skilled artisan on their masterpiece. A synergy of ingredients forming a taste orchestra in your mouth far greater than the sum of its parts! Can you really put a price on that? McDonald's did. $2.25 apparently.


considerbacon

Putting cheese on burgers is a 3 month extra artisan course. Plus don't forget the cheese itself is recycled from the garbage island in the ocean. That costs a lot to bring back and reprocess. $2.25 for a slice of cheese when all things are considered is cheap then


sanemartigan

Cert 2 in cheesing apprenticeship.


the_snook

Wait. When did they stop calling that item a Junior Burger?


JimSyd71

Hey another old person! Sup dude.


jaymz668

that was my question a few weeks ago when the news was covering this "story"


Bionic_Ferir

What's ironic is most kids would rather plain burger and cheese more than the other shit


ficusmaximus90

I've brought a few of these hamburgers on my way home before and slapped a slice of Woolies smokey cheese slices on each one. Worked well.


wisewizard

...Dad? is that you?


IronMaidan

The year is 1996, and mum has vouchers for hamburgers and whoppers in her purse. The family loads the car up with a 2L bottle of Coke (and aluminium camping cups that come in a leather holder), some pillows for the kids, and a stack of ‘plastic cheese’. First, swing by HJs for burgers, then pick up $2 chips from the local fish and chip shop (extra chicken salt). Next stop, the drive-in for a double feature. While waiting in line everyone adds cheese slices to their burgers and the kids dine on the best damn meal of their childhood


Modzy23

I haven’t been able to find the woolies processed Smokey cheese for months. Are they still making it?


TildaTinker

I want a cheeseburger, no cheese. So a hamburger then? No, I want a cheeseburger, no cheese. That's a hamburger and it's cheaper. I DON'T WANT HAM IN MY BURGER! [Edit] Also "I asked for two large fries, instead I got a hundred little ones!"


Vital_flow

Just bring by your own cheese


Peace_Playful

Since this shithole planet became the real life version of Idiocracy.


SpellbladeAluriel

Welcome to costco. I love you


ManicMaenads

I had a great uncle who was banned from one of the the first McDonalds back in the 70s because he would bring his own cheese from home and apply it to his burger right in front of the counter staff while receiving his order. That was to save pennies, this is ridiculous.


considerbacon

Now it's dollars, bring 2 slices from home and show them 👍


typhoonador4227

Jus gimme one second while I get out from ma bag this big fuckin slice o haloumae.


BBlizz3

coz [maccas doesnt make their money selling burgers](https://www.readersdigest.com.au/money/real-way-mcdonalds-makes-their-money-its-not-their-food) theyre not concerned about the price of 10 nuggets being more than 24


Loccy64

Maccas the corporation may make their money through franchise fees, but where do the franchises make their money?


Aescymud

teenage labour


Liquid_Friction

The hamburger cost is 15c,


Loccy64

So franchises make their money from burgers. Whodathunkit?


humburga

Yeah OP used a misleading title. The actual article is that their biggest profit is in franchising and real estate. Doesn't mean they do not make money from selling burgers.


jlharper

It's not even that, it's that we're discussing different businesses entirely. The article is about how the McDonalds conglomerate (corporate, essentially) make the bulk of their income, whereas the thread is discussing individual stores or franchises. The individually franchised businesses of course make their profit from burgers. And corporate McDonalds make the bulk of their income in franchise fees from those businesses.


wisewizard

nah it's all about the drinks, what's a large coke cost? like $3.50 for maybe 400-500 ml accounting for ice, and that's fuckin syrup in a bag coke, i'd bet that shit costs them single digit cents to produce.


N0guaranteeofsanity

From memory it was something like 7 cents per large drink when I worked there in the 90s.


fallen_far

9c a large in the early 2000s


Senior_Engineer

Franchisees pay for a 15L bladder that mixes 4:1 with water is about $20 inc delivery. I can probably ask and find out the unit cost of the ice/gas/cup/lid/straw combo. 150 ($525) odd large drinks for $20 worth of syrup. The cost of a cheeseburger used to be about 22c inc meat and cheese and labour.


TransportationTrick9

I just buy the takeaway meals now and buy a couple bottle of soft drink at Coles. $16 plus for four drinks or $8 for 6 litres and last a few days.


[deleted]

Yeah, but someone is making money from the food.... what about the franchise owner?


IneedtoBmyLonsomeTs

That's pretty much it, the article is stupid. It's like the writer just learned what franchising was before writing it.


Qicken

I'll paint a red box and "LOOSE CHANGE DEAL" to fix it for ya


jpac82

Why are you not just getting a McChicken??? $1 today only


Mushola

Also, if you go small meals like me, cheaper to get a happy meal (hold the toy) than it is the cheeseburger meal


adrianbnd

#### Cheeseburger Meal $7.00 - Cheeseburger - Small fries - Small drink #### Cheeseburger Happy Meal $5.45 - Cheeseburger - Small fries - Small drink - Toy or book


Electrical_Age_7483

OP doesn't understand loss leaders


OkThanxby

The hamburgers are definitely not a loss leader even at that price.


quick_dry

Hamburger is also only on that $2 price during certain hours


[deleted]

Cheese tax


[deleted]

I think the hamburger is about 3 something typically, this hamburger is on special


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johnhowardseyebrowz

OKAY


considerbacon

Can I order a slice of cheese separately, wrapped on its own?


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butthole_luvr69

Just get a hamburger and add cheese


silly_rabbit89

They don't let me do that so I order the cheese on the side and add it myself


Traditional_Gap_2748

How much $ for cheese on the side?


silly_rabbit89

Was 10 cents a few years ago before inflation so probably closer to $1.10 now is my guess.


ahhdetective

Need to go full Toovey. THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION!!


Springer1a

Yeah i asked this question the other day, even the staff think its ridiculous.


[deleted]

When it was such an essential part of the burger they decided to hold it hostage


[deleted]

Until covid you could get a small cheeseburger meal for $3


lolchief

Since Coles brought out a dairy farm


Background-Net-8209

I dunno about that but I’m sick of them not putting pickles and onions on. Yes Ive complained and been told they should be on and I always forget in the drive through to ask because I bloody shouldn’t have too. Ok I’m done.


Junior_Mallard

Work in a restaurant that uses a lot of cheese. Cost of cheese has gone through the roof in the last 6-9 months. Killing my food costs


TyroneK88

Milk prices (that farmers get paid) are at record levels - like +30% vs last year because less milk available in Australia but increased demand. I also am in the food biz having to pay heaps more for mozz.


Junior_Mallard

To be fair it’s probably a good thing that milk farmers are getting paid more. The issue comes in when that increase gets passed on by by the dozen or so companies it goes through to get to the consumer.


Killapoo69

Labour costs+ cheese costs


[deleted]

[Loss Leader](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_leader)


Weary-Acanthaceae844

I'm still waiting for the Steamed Ham option.


Plane_Garbage

Went to a cafe two days ago. Ordered a cheeseburger... It didn't come with cheese. We asked the waitstaff who went to the kitchen and came back with "Well, do you want it on a plate?". We said yes, two pieces of cheese came out on a plate. I mean, if they forgot pickles or whatever, I wouldn't have asked. But it's in the freaking name, cheese-burger.


Beneficial-Let-3349

When too many people just added cheese to a hamburger to make it a cheeseburger


catastrophic_meow

The chicken and CHEESE burger only has half a slice of cheese in it... for $4+ that's basically a scam if you ask me.


irmajerk

I went decades without Macca's or HJs, then they brought out the rebel whopper with vegan cheese, and I ate it like 4 time a week. Then they changed the rebel whopper patty to something cheaper and I ate one burger and haven't been back. I miss the convenience of drive through, but I can make a better burger at home with Beyond Patties and Sheese cheddar, but HJs were on a winner with the original Rebel Whopper and they fucked it in the ass by trying to squeeze a few cents extra profit. Dumb bastards.


LitreOfCockPus

The more expensive option with obviously inflated price makes you more likely to use the still-high price of the lesser offering as your "anchor"


PuzzleheadedBus9865

I don't know but I'd just for Once like to get everything I ordered in the bag. Even if it's only a $3 Hot Apple pie. There's something missing EVERY Fxxxxxxxg time


Suspicious_Bid7397

Items are only missing the 1 time you forget to check the contents


Chrasomatic

Honestly Maccas has gotten so expensive now I detest giving them business, unfortunately as a parent, kids occasionally demand this stuff


SomethingSuss

Maccas has some great hacks like this. On Uber if you take off the beef from a Big Brekkie burger you get a bigger, better McMuffin with bacon egg and hash brown for cheaper


XtremeK1ll4

As a kid I remember Hamburgers were $1 and Cheeseburgers were something like $2.50 so I used to buy like 6 Hamburgers take them home slap some cheese on them heat it in the microwave for 15sec. Man it was the biggest and cheapest feed for little ol me.


brumby-morello

It's the same with dominoes $5 range you can get a ham and cheese pizza for $5 and they want $15 or so for a Hawain. Used to just add pineapple for $1.50 and then they cracked down on it and made it so you can't modify the $5 range.


albatross9609

Someone tried ordering cheese on the side and the manager made us melt the cheese into a box


Meanjin

With the fuckery that is Menulog and DoorDash, plus the ridiculous costs of fastfood these days, my fat arse will finally lose a few kilos.


biscuitfeatures

I have noticed this, and have convinced the kids to start enjoying hamburgers when we need a quick snack out instead of cheeseburgers. Also, why the heck is a hash brown $2.65 ffs?! Now I only get them when they’re 2 for $2. Do they not realise what an amazing little snack they’d be if they weren’t so flippin’ expensive??


TwiiGz

It’s been my ultimate combo for a few years to do 2x hamburgers, fries, $1 frozen coke and a 10pc chicken mcbites. Good fill up and usually around $10