Recently, at a highway McDonald's, I ordered a burger and a drink for takeaway. The staff member at the counter informed me that adding fries would make the order cost less. I didn’t want fries, but getting an extra item and lowering the price was incentive enough.

Recently, at a highway McDonald's, I ordered a burger and a drink for takeaway. The staff member at the counter informed me that adding fries would make the order cost less. I didn’t want fries, but getting an extra item and lowering the price was incentive enough.

Moments later, while waiting for my order, I overheard another team member advising a family to buy their Sprite from the shop next door, because it was cheaper there.

My first reaction: That’s incredibly honest and helpful. It's uncommon for people to direct business elsewhere when they can serve that need.

It does imply that Mcd is overcharging for Sprite, but this is the norm for restaurants and cafes; most people have accepted it. In a food court, however, where space is shared and, therefore, the audience is not captive, it probably makes sense to charge lower.

Interestingly, both the staff members focused on what is better value for the customer. I am curious, does McDonald’s encourage this kind of transparency, even if it means lost revenue? Or is this one-off led by staff, not company policy?

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