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McDonald's staff furious after chain makes 'unfair' change for first time in 10 years

Home> Fast food> McDonalds

Updated 08:52 19 Feb 2026 GMTPublished 18:20 18 Feb 2026 GMT

McDonald's staff furious after chain makes 'unfair' change for first time in 10 years

The fast-food institution has issued a statement on the matter

Ella Scott

Ella Scott

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McDonald’s staff are allegedly up in arms after the retailer ‘reviewed’ an employee scheme for the first time in a decade.

February has seen the fast-food retailer hitting some serious highs, what with new item launches, news of a brand-new collectable card game, and fans going wild for an ‘adult happy meal’.

As well as six mini figures modelled after the core cast of Friends to collect, customers have been able to get their mitts on mugs and sample sweet treats such as the Brownie Pie and the Doughnut Crumb latte.

Among the highs have been some devastating lows, such as a large portion of vegetarian menu staples being axed, and the countdown to the McDonald’s Rewards changes continuing.

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The restaurant chain has seemingly ruffled feathers again, announcing it is changing how much employees need to pay for food.

McDonald's has 'reviewed' an employee discount scheme for the first time in a decade (Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
McDonald's has 'reviewed' an employee discount scheme for the first time in a decade (Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Staff benefits at McDonald’s vary by location, but usually include: flexible working hours, discounts on trips abroad, and free meals on shift.

According to a report by The Sun, members were also able to take advantage of discounts when not on shift.

In the past, they were able to snag a breakfast meal, with a McMuffin, a hash brown, and a coffee for just £1.99 with the Employee Discount Scheme.

Staff could also purchase value meals, including a Big Mac, fries and a drink, for a measly £2.29 - more than half price of what a regular customer has to pay.

However, after reviewing its Employee Discount Scheme, McDonald’s officials have announced that things are about to get a little bit more expensive.

Staff will now have to pay an extra £1 for their breakfast, making the meal £2.99, as per the publication.

If the report is correct, then that would be a whopping 50.25 percent price increase.

The price of a staff value meal has also increased from £2.29 to £3.29 (around 43 percent more expensive), as per the publication.

Extra value meals also rose by almost 22 percent from £3.29 to £3.99.

The change was introduced by the company last August.

An anonymous McDonald’s worker who has been affected by the inflated prices told the outlet: “It’s really annoying because we’re paid minimum wage.

“These meals – how cheap they were – meant we could cut a food shop down and save money by eating at McDonald’s outside of work.

Staff now have to pay £2.99 for a breakfast deal, as per reports (Vivien Killilea/Getty Images)
Staff now have to pay £2.99 for a breakfast deal, as per reports (Vivien Killilea/Getty Images)

“Obviously it’s still a great deal, but it feels annoying that when McDonald’s knows everyone’s bills are up, they’d add to that for their staff.”

In a statement to FOODbible, a McDonald’s spokesman said: “At McDonald’s, we are committed to making sure our employees have access to great‑value food that we are proud to serve.

"Last year, as food costs continued to rise, for the first time in 10 years we reviewed our Employee Discount Scheme and made a small increase to the prices.

"We remain proud to offer our employees good‑value discounts, alongside exclusive offers through the My McDonald’s App.”

Featured Image Credit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Topics: McDonalds , Fast Food, UK Food

Ella Scott
Ella Scott

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