Can a Big Mac order cost more at one Perth McDonald’s than another? In a 2024 comparison shared by TikTok creators the Macpack, the reported total for a Big Mac and large fries ranged from AUD 12.70 to AUD 13.05 across three locations. McDonald’s Australia says restaurant-specific conditions and order type can affect prices. The comparison shows different reported prices at different locations—not prices changing in real time or being personalized to individual customers.
What the Macpack’s Perth comparison showed
PerthNow reported on September 20, 2024, that the Macpack shared online-order receipts for a Big Mac and large fries at three McDonald’s locations. The newspaper reported these combined totals:
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| Location | Reported combined price |
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| Perth CBD | AUD 12.70 |
| Albany Highway | AUD 12.80 |
| Murdoch Drive | AUD 13.05 |
That is a 35-cent difference between the lowest and highest reported totals. PerthNow said the video had attracted almost 20,000 likes when it published its report; that is a dated figure, not a current count. The prices are historical examples, not current menu prices. The original receipts and an independent contemporaneous price audit are not available in the cited account, so the totals should be attributed to PerthNow’s report rather than treated as independently verified prices. PerthNow’s September 20, 2024 report
Why prices can differ between McDonald’s restaurants
McDonald’s Australia says that “prices vary depending on every restaurant’s set of unique characteristics.” Its menu-pricing page lists trading hours, customer-traffic patterns, demand, drive-thru service, McCafé and 24-hour trading among the factors that can influence restaurant prices. It directs customers to the MyMacca’s app to check prices for a local restaurant. McDonald’s Australia: Menu Pricing
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In the PerthNow report, a McDonald’s spokesperson said: “Like all businesses, we review our prices from time to time, considering several factors, including the higher-cost environment we’re operating in.” That is a general explanation, not a store-by-store account of what caused the 35-cent spread in the Macpack’s comparison. The available information does not establish why those three particular totals differed.
Order type can change the comparison
Location is not the only variable. McDonald’s Australia’s terms say McDelivery item prices may be higher than pickup prices, and menus or promotions can differ by channel. Prices and availability can also vary between restaurants. McDonald’s Australia: Terms and Conditions
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For a fair comparison, keep the items, restaurant, order channel and timing consistent. Compare pickup with pickup or delivery with delivery, and check whether a promotion applies. Before paying, review the selected restaurant and order total in the app.
Does this mean McDonald’s uses dynamic or personalized pricing?
No. A difference between prices at separate restaurants does not, by itself, show that prices changed in real time or were tailored to a particular customer. The Perth comparison concerns reported totals at three locations; it does not show prices changing over the course of a day or different customers being quoted different amounts at the same restaurant.
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A statement filed with the Fair Work Commission by a McDonald’s licensee says licensees can accept or reject recommended product price bands and that adjustments in the stores covered by that statement are generally made two to three times per annum. It also says customer price sensitivity and local economic conditions are considered. This describes the stores covered by that licensee’s filing—not a company-wide adjustment schedule. Fair Work Commission filing, November 15, 2024
In a separate statement dated October 1, 2026, McDonald’s Corporation said its pricing recommendation tool provides restaurant-specific recommendations while franchisees decide menu prices. The corporation said, “McDonald’s does not use dynamic pricing,” and stated that the tool does not set an individual customer’s price or change prices in real time or by time of day. This is broader corporate context, not evidence of the system used by the three Perth restaurants or an audit of the Macpack’s comparison. McDonald’s Corporation statement, October 1, 2026
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- Our burgers are the hottest, juiciest burgers. Ask the Hamburglar, he can’t keep his hands off ‘em!
How to check what your local order costs
- Open the MyMacca’s app and select the restaurant you plan to use.
- Choose the intended order type, such as pickup or McDelivery.
- Add the same items you want to compare and check the displayed prices, promotions and total before payment.
- If comparing two locations, repeat with the same items and order type, and note when you checked each menu.
Restaurant prices and availability can change, so the app’s selected-location menu is the practical place to check before ordering. The 2024 Perth totals should not be used as a guide to what those items cost today.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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