A Hull mum said she felt disappointed when she was charged £4.89 at a McDonald’s for a plain burger bun.
Mikkyla Bland, 43, from Bransholme, said she has been encouraging her four-year-old son with autism to enjoy food in public places. Because of his sensory issues, his “diet is very limited” and it is a “massive achievement” when he eats some chicken nuggets or bread in a restaurant.
The mum and son have been enjoying visits to Kingswood McDonald’s, but Mikkyla was shocked when she requested a plain toasted sesame seed burger bun and was charged for a full burger, which is the chain’s policy. Her receipt shows she paid £4.89 for a quarter pounder with cheese minus all of the fillings – on Sunday, May 24.
Mikkyla said: “My son has autism and sensory processing disorder. Obviously, he has issues with social settings, so I have been taking him to McDonald’s in little bits.”
While he normally eats chicken nuggets, he didn’t want them that day, so Mikkyla tried to purchase a sesame bun, a specific food she knows her son likes.
Mikkyla said: “He was looking at other people’s food and he was looking at the burgers. I know he will eat a toasted breadcake because I’ve been in the same situation before at Burger King.
“I went to the till and said, ‘Can I ask a bit of a random question?’ and explained my little boy’s autism and explained the situation. I said, ‘Is there any chance I could buy a breadcake with sesame seeds on?’
Mikkyla said she was told she would be charged for a burger, but with items removed. She agreed to this, but was shocked when the total came to £4.89.
“I was a bit like, wow… Obviously, I bought it because my little boy was achieving something and was staying in that place, and he ate it.”
Mikkyla said she rang McDonald’s head office hoping to advise them on how they could make adjustments for children with special educational needs (SEN). She said she was told by the customer services advisor “all the prices stand and they won’t make any adjustments”.
She added: “It’s not just about my son, it’s about everybody else’s children. It’s hard as it is. My son should be able to fit into society. That’s my issue with it.”
A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We’re sorry to hear about this customer’s experience. Our restaurant teams will always do their best to accommodate requests within the limitations of the till system, and it appears on this occasion it wasn’t possible. We would encourage the customer to get in touch with our Customer Services team to help find a resolution.” When asked if this meant that there may have been an alternative option, McDonalds added: “It’s not possible to order a plain burger without paying for the price of a full burger.”