McDonald’s promoted its new $8 nugget combo meal, then got blasted online with complaints about affordability, quality and service

McDonald’s CEO said that mixed meals in one of the world’s largest fast food chains were too expensive at the beginning of this year and started offering a new service. cheaper deals For cash-strapped customers. But online, consumers aren’t biting.

Earlier this month, McDonald’s launched a limited-time $8 offer. 10 piece chicken McNugget value meal For November.

However, on November 14, the company x post Many of those marketing the deal have vowed not to eat from the chain, for reasons ranging from price inflation and perceived poor quality to long drive-through wait times.

“Since when is $8 a good price for 10 small items, a handful of fries, and a drink?” one commenter said.

The company responded to some of these complaints in the post’s thread, asking users to direct message their contact information to resolve their complaints, but the post was met with hundreds of unhappy comments.

McDonald’s was unable to respond immediately to this situation LuckRequest for comment due to ‘s holiday weekend.

The backlash came as the company tried to revive its affordability image as the price increases were reflected in the menu.

Last year, the company was criticized for price inflation since 2019, even drawing a rebuke from House Republicans. x post It claimed that under then-President Joe Biden, prices for medium fries had increased by 167.6% and prices of the Big Mac meal had increased by 103.5%.

McDonald’s refuted Claiming that its prices had doubled, it said the average price of the company’s menu items increased by approximately 40% during the period, with much of this attributed to “increased increases in restaurant operating costs.” Those costs include increased wages for restaurant workers by up to 40 percent and increased food and paper costs, according to the company.

Over the past few years, McDonald’s has been criticized online by value-conscious customers for its prices. One x post A display of an $18 Big Mac combo meal went viral in 2023, sparking debate that the chain had become too expensive. This article also appeared a response Joe Erlinger, McDonald’s US president, claimed the meal was an “exception” and that the chain’s prices did not exceed inflation.

Even CEO Chris Kempczinski acknowledged that combo meals priced above $10 “negatively shape perceptions of value.”

During the operation of the company second quarter earnings callHe told investors that the menu board was the “biggest driver” of what shaped the consumer’s overall perception of McDonald’s value.

“We need to fix this,” he said.

Kempczinski in May in question The company’s traffic from low-income consumers in the U.S. this year is down “almost double digits,” and traffic from middle-income consumers is down nearly the same amount.

He said these consumers were “particularly under pressure due to the cumulative impact of inflation and growing anxiety about the economic outlook.”

Despite the backlash, the company’s global comparable sales increased by 3.6% in the third quarter – and U.S. sales rose 2.4%.

“We’re building momentum by delivering everyday value and affordability, menu innovation and compelling marketing that continues to bring customers to our doors,” Kempczinski said in McDonald’s third-quarter earnings call.

This story first appeared on: Fortune.com