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McDonald’s faces lawsuit over alleged orange juice surcharge in breakfast combos

"If I knew there was a surcharge for the orange juice, I wouldn't have ordered it every time"

Deputy Food Editor

Published

A sign stands outside of a McDonald's restaurant (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
A sign stands outside of a McDonald's restaurant (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

You might want to reconsider ordering combos at your favorite eateries.

According to Bernadette Giacomazzo of RetailWire, McDonald’s is facing another class-action lawsuit. This time, plaintiffs claim they were charged an “unnecessary surcharge” for substituting orange juice in breakfast combos. Represented by Top Class Actions of Santa Monica, California, the lawsuit alleges that McDonald’s misleadingly advertises breakfast combos with orange juice at a fixed price but then imposes a hidden surcharge.

The suit argues this practice violates consumer protection laws by introducing unexpected charges and seeks compensation for affected customers, along with reforms to McDonald’s menu displays.

Amber Meyers, one of the plaintiffs, stated she ordered the same breakfast combo for nearly a year before noticing the upcharge. “If I knew there was a surcharge for the orange juice, I wouldn’t have ordered it every time,” she said.

In a related issue, TAB (The Accountability Board) is urging McDonald’s and other restaurant chains to address food waste. TAB’s president and co-founder, Matthew Prescott, emphasized the financial impact of waste: “All waste is financial waste. Strategies that mitigate food waste also save money.”

By Michael La Corte

Michael is a food writer, recipe editor and educator based in his beloved New Jersey. After graduating from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, he worked in restaurants, catering and supper clubs before pivoting to food journalism and recipe development. He also holds a BA in psychology and literature from Pace University.


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