McDonald's sets the record straight on the viral $12 dinner box debate

McDonald's is setting the record straight after a viral TikTok shared one mom's "budget friendly" hack at the fast food chain.

In a now-viral TikTok, Leiela Kapewa-Latu shared the item she recently ordered for her family of four -- a $12 dinner box. The box comes with two cheeseburgers, four small fries, 10-piece chicken nuggets and two Big Macs, she showed in the video.

"It's not on the menu, so you're probably going to just have to ask," she said in the video.

@xolovelei

$12 Dinner Boxes at McDonald’s is worth it!! #budgetfriendly #mcdonaldshacks #fyp

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The post generated thousands of comments, with many people reporting various prices and some saying the box wasn't available in their city.

Kapewa-Latu, who is in Texas, noted in a follow-up video that the box is on a "shareables" menu, but that it might not be available in all locations.

In a statement to NBC Chicago, McDonald's said franchisees "set their own prices and have the flexibility to create promotions that will drive demand in their restaurants."

"These promotions may vary by restaurant," the company said, urging fans to "download the McDonald’s app and sign up for MyMcDonald’s Rewards to access exclusive deals and check for shareable, bundled deals in their area."

While there's no definitive list of where the $12 dinner box can be found, there are a number of items on the "shareable" section of menus at many locations. They include things like chicken or burger packs, favorites for six and more in parts of the Chicago area -- though many cost more than $12.

The viral post comes as the world's largest hamburger chain battles customer complaints over rising prices.

Prices have risen at fast food restaurants across the country as climbing food and labor costs result in higher totals for customers.

McDonald's was targeted online for a Connecticut restaurant’s $18 Big Mac combo meal and $7 Egg McMuffin, which sparked a number of viral TikTok posts about high prices in other locations.

McDonald's President and CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a recent call that there were fewer visits and lower spending by customers earning $45,000 per year or less. Kempczinski noted that as grocery inflation has retreated, those customers are more likely to eat at home.

As a result, Kempczinski promised that company affordability would be a focus this year.

McDonald's hopes to get those customers back into its stores with marketing that emphasizes low-cost options.

“We certainly know consumers are more wary — and weary — of pricing and we’re going to continue to be consumer-led in our pricing decisions as we look forward to 2024,” Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said.

Details on what those affordable options might be, or if price cuts are in the works, remain unclear.