McDonald's $25 'deal' goes viral; users blame California's minimum-wage increase: 'Your new normal'

A viral social media video about a $25 McDonald's "deal" recently sparked an online debate about California's minimum-wage increase.

A TikTok user who posts videos under the username @shannon_montipaya shared the video on March 27. She was in the drive-thru of a Southern California McDonald's location when she saw a sign for a 40-piece Chicken McNugget meal deal, which also included two large fries.

The price of the meal bundle was $25.39 – including sales tax, it would come to roughly $27. In the video, the social media user lamented that the meal didn't even include a drink.

"OK, so it's $25.39 for 40-piece nuggets and two large fries," she said. "You couldn't even throw in the Sprite?"

"You couldn't even throw in, like, a medium Sprite in there? Holy crap."

While the meal is designed to serve four people, it demonstrates how prices at the fast-food chain have risen over the years. A recent study by FinanceBuzz found that McDonald's prices have increased by 100% since 2014.

Ten years ago, the average price of a 10-piece McNugget meal was $5.99. Now, the meal usually goes for $10.99.

The video ended up amassing 2 million views, bringing thousands of TikTok users to its comments section – many of whom were nostalgic about past McDonald's prices.

"Remember when 40 pieces nuggets was $5 and a large drink was $1," one comment read.

"The managers special used to be 40 nuggets, a gallon of tea, and a LG fry for like 20 dollars SMH," another said.

"I spent $48 there yesterday…my jaw on the floor," a third commenter wrote.

Inevitably, some social media users pointed to the recent legislation in California that increased the minimum wage for fast-food workers from $16 to $20.

"20 minimum wage…..welcome to your new normal," one person said.

"Welcome to California," another chimed in.

Other users shared their local McDonald's prices – and very few came close to being as high as California's.

"50 nuggets here is 15 [dollars]," one Florida resident said.

"It’s $6.19 in Dallas for a 20 piece and 2 large fries," a Texan wrote.

Some viewers thought the video was an overreaction and were unfazed by the price of the meal deal.

"12.50/person isn’t that crazy," a user wrote.

"You getting a good deal and you complaining," another said.

While the wage increase went into effect on Apr. 1 – four days after the TikTok video was posted – fast-food businesses in the Golden State had been bracing for the wage increase for months.

MOD Pizza recently closed at least five California locations before the minimum-wage increase kicked in on April 1. Several California fast-food establishments, particularly pizza chains, have been laying off employees in recent months, the Wall Street Journal reported last month, including Pizza Hut and Round Table Pizza.

A former MOD Pizza employee in Clovis told FOX 26 Fresno that it "just kind of seemed like the right timing, two weeks before all of the fast-food locations in California got that increase that we closed."