Why it matters where you buy your Big Mac – and going to a different McDonald’s could save you £57 a year
REGULAR McDonald’s fans could save up to £57 per year by searching a little further up the road for their family’s fast food fix.
Research by The Sun has revealed that McDonald’s menu prices can vary in restaurants just a couple of miles apart, and here is how much a family of four could save.
McDonald’s is a fast food favourite among British households.
There are approximately 1,300 Maccies restaurants across the UK based in high streets, shopping centres and service stations.
The McDonald’s menu is the same across all branches so you can usually pick up a Big Mac, Quarter Pounder or even the new vegan McPlant burger wherever you are in the country.
But prices can differ depending on the location of the McDonald’s chain.
Analysis by The Sun has now found that in some cases you don’t have to travel far to find a cheaper McDonald’s than your local.
Our research found a Big Mac meal can be up to 30p cheaper at restaurants that are just two miles apart from each other.
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That could mean driving just 10 minutes up the road and digging into a cheaper meal.
A 30p saving may not sound massive but it would equal £1.20 per month if you treat yourself to a McDonald’s each week or £14.40 per year.
A couple could double the savings to £28.80 in a year while a family of four could save £57.60 on a Big Mac meal each week for a year just by looking slightly further afield.
Here are some of the savings we found and how far you would have to travel.
Slough
Annual saving for a family of four – £57.60
Distance – 2miles
We found some of the cheapest Maccies menu prices in the Berkshire town of Slough.
But the cost of a Big Mac can even vary within the area.
A Big Mac meal in the Buckingham Avenue branch of McDonald’s would set you back £5.59.
However, there is another McDonald’s just two miles away on Slough High Street where a Big Mac meal would set you back £5.29.
That is a 30p individual saving or £1.20 for a family of four.
Treat the family each week for a year at the cheaper location and you could save £57.60 for four people.
Manchester
Annual saving for a family of four – £14.40
Distance – 1.5miles
Piccadilly Gardens is a central part of Manchester with large areas of green space, hotels. shops and restaurants.
You can pickup a Big Mac meal here for £5.69.
Alternatively, you could travel 1.5miles down the road to Arnwick where the same meal would cost £5.39.
This would give a family of four a saving of £57.60 if they visited and had the same meal once per week during the year.
Central London
Annual saving for a family of four – £38.40
Distance – 2miles
McDonald’s branches in central London have some of the highest prices.
A Big Mac meal if you are exploring the sights of London Bridge costs £5.89.
But you could save 20p per person by taking a 20 minute Tube journey or drive to Victoria station, which is three miles away, where the same meal would cost £5.69.
That is an 80p saving for a family of four each week, £3.20 per month and £38.40 across the year.
You would have to take account of the costs of Tube or road travel to make this one work though.
Birmingham
Annual saving for a family of four – £38.40
Distance – 2miles
There are plenty of choices when it comes to McDonald’s in Birmingham.
A Big Mac meal in Small Heath on Coventry Road would set you back £5.59.
But the same meal costs just £5.39 2miles away on Bristol Road.
That would give a family of four a £38.40 annual saving if they visit each week.
North London
Annual saving for a family of four – £19.20
Distance – 4miles
It is possible to save money on your Maccies in Greater London and the suburbs.
For example, a Big Mac meal in Stanmore, north London, costs £5.59.
But just 4miles or 15 minutes up the road on the Hertfordshire border, you could get a Big Mac meal in Borehamwood for £5.49.
That is a 40p saving for a family of four, equalling £19.20 over a year if purchased each week.
Southampton
Annual saving for a family of four – £19.20
Distance – 1.7miles
A Big Mac in the shopping area of Shirley Road in Southampton costs £5.49.
But if you are travelling to the West Quay Shopping Centre 1.7miles away you could instead get a Big Mac meal for £5.39.
That would save a family of four £19.20 a year if it was a weekly habit.
You could even save money by ordering from a different nearby McDonald’s branch through UberEats or JustEat, although you would need to check the delivery fees as these could outweigh any savings.
How to order McDonald’s
You can find your nearest McDonald’s and its opening times by entering your postcode on its website’s restaurant locator.
If you don’t have time to travel, deliveries can be ordered through Uber Eats, Just Eat and the My McDonald’s app, all of which are free to download through the App Store or Google Play.
You will also have to pay a delivery fee, which will vary depending on your location, which service you use and whether there is a special offer on.
Just Eat tends to be the cheapest, with delivery often available for as little as 99p as long as you spend over £8.
Both Uber Eats and using the McDonald’s app tend to be more expensive, with delivery fees of over £3.
It’s worth checking all three options before you order, as the fees can vary and sometimes are as high as £3.99.
Another option is to order your items through the My McDonald’s app and collect them from your nearest branch.
We tried the new McPlant burger, find out if we could taste the difference.
See how you can get £5 off at McDonald’s this week.