McDonalds customers fed up with surprise charge for online orders: Its a rip off

A cheap McDonald’s order can quickly spiral past $20 when delivery fees pile up, and customers are erupting over what they say is an avalanche of charges that undercuts the chain’s promise to offer value.Diners took to social media to blast the fast-food giant and its delivery partners over a growing list of add-on costs.Those include delivery fees, service fees, menu markups and — perhaps most galling of all — a controversial “small order fee” that kicks in when customers don’t order enough.One widely shared Reddit post captured the frustration after a customer spotted a $3.50 “small order fee” tacked onto their order.“Literally used my employee discount, and it’s still cheaper through DoorDash [because] of this stupid ass fee,” the user wrote, sharing a screenshot of his $20.91 order that included nearly $8 in delivery order fees.“I’ve never seen this before in my life.”The post drew more than 1,700 upvotes and hundreds of angry comments.“1/3 of the total cost is fees in delivery … who cares if there a discount? It’s a rip off already,” one commenter wrote.Another chimed in: “Since when is $14 at McDonald’s small?? You used to be able to feed a family of 4 for that price.”Customers ordering through apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats — or even Mickey D’s own app — report paying delivery fees of up to several dollars, service fees that can reach around 15% of the order and extra charges when orders fall below a minimum threshold.And that’s before tipping, another practice that’s drawing growing gripes.In one example, an $8.99 order climbed to more than $20 after fees, taxes and gratuity.

In another, a $5.29 McChicken ballooned to $12.74 once delivery, service and regulatory fees were added.The mind-boggling fees come as McDonald’s has been planning to offer cheap menu items going for $3 or less in an effort to win back customers in a time of economic uncertainty.“What used to be a value meal now feels like buyin...