Even the cheeseburger isn’t inflation proof

Rising food prices could force McDonald’s to consider raising the price or (gasp) removing the cheese from the famous $US1 double cheeseburger it sells in its US stores.

Rising food prices could force McDonald’s to consider raising the price or (gasp) removing the cheese from the famous $US1 double cheeseburger it sells in its US stores.

The double cheeseburger is the centrepiece of McDonald’s successful Dollar Menu, a tool the fast-food chain has used successfully to drive sales in the US.

But McDonald’s US president Don Thompson told the Wall Street Journal that rising cheese and beef costs has forced it to look at ways to make a cheaper double cheeseburger.

Some stores have already lifted the price of the double cheeseburger to as much as $US1.19, while others have cut the cheese slices from two to one.

The move is yet another sign of the pressure the global hospitality sector is coming under as prices rise and consumers cut back on discretionary spending.

But the good citizens can rest assured that McDonalds won’t let them go hungry – Thompson says some form of $US1 burger will be retained.

“We know customers are facing tough times in this economy,” he said. Thank goodness for that.

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