McDonald's Was Supposed to Be Cheap. What Happened?

In Fresno, the same Big Mac costs $5.69 at one McDonald's and $6.89 two miles away. Reuters found a machine-learning pricing engine that recommends item prices at nearly 14,000 U.S. restaurants, partly from what local customers are willing to pay. Days later, a customer filed a federal antitrust class action. We follow the money from the $18 Big Mac to the franchise deal, the customers McDonald's lost, the pricing engine and the lawsuit, and we give McDonald's side in its own words. The lawsuit's claims are allegations and have not been proven; McDonald's says the suit is "filled with inaccuracies" and that franchisees, not AI, set menu prices. Reuters could not confirm the engine caused the Fresno gap. Status as of October 29, 2026. Not financial or legal advice. Sources: Thomas v. McDonald's USA, LLC, No. 1:26-cv-12149 (N.D. Ill.), complaint filed Oct 2, 2026; Reuters, Sep 29, 2026; McDonald's USA open letter, May 29, 2024; McDonald's Q3 2025 and Q2 2026 results; Associated Press. Chapters: 0:00 Two miles apart 0:50 The $18 Big Mac 1:51 Who really sets the price 3:05 The customers who left 4:06 The pricing engine 6:08 The lawsuit 7:33 McDonald's side 8:17 What happened to cheap McDonald's #McDonalds #BigMac #FastFood #Pricing #Documentary