(NEXSTAR) – A $16 McDonald’s order that drew mixed reactions from people on TikTok last year is going viral again, this time reportedly reaching White House officials.
The resurfaced video, originally posted in December 2022, shows a man named Topher Olive venting about the cost of his meal.
“So, I get there’s a labor shortage. I get there’s wage increases and a number of other things,” he said in the clip. “But $16? $16 for a burger, a large fry and a drink? It’s just crazy!”
An itemized receipt from the McDonald’s in Post Falls, Idaho, shows Olive purchased a Smoky Double Quarter Pounder BLT, a large fry and a large Sprite. The order totaled $16.10 with tax.
“Bro ordered the most expensive meal they have and acted surprised,” one user quipped.
The video, now at more than 670,000 views, began recirculating online shortly after McDonald’s released its quarterly revenue report earlier this month.
Several outlets picked up the story about Olive’s pricey fast-food meal, including the Washington Examiner, which noted that McDonald’s revenue increased 14% in its third quarter.
While some TikTok users seemingly brushed off Olive’s complaint, others blamed the economy and President Joe Biden for the price tag.
The Washington Post reported on Friday that the White House Office of Digital Strategy is aware of the story and referred to it as an exaggerated example of America’s economic problems.
“What are we supposed to do, tell the president or Chuck Schumer to send a tweet saying, ‘Hey, most Big Macs aren’t that expensive?’ It would look ridiculous,” an anonymous Democratic official reportedly told the Post.
Despite some misleading video headlines on YouTube calling the burger a Big Mac, Olive actually bit into a limited-edition Double Quarter Pounder.
According to an index compiled by the Economist, the average cost of a Big Mac in the U.S. was $5.58 this summer. That’s up 69 cents from $4.89 in December 2020, before Biden took office.
Meanwhile, the average price of a regular Quarter Pounder stood at $5.45 in early October, compared to $5.14 last year, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research.
Aside from McDonald’s, NewsNation reported that other chains — such as Chipotle, Starbucks, and Pizza Hut — have also raised their prices. Fast-food prices jumped 6.2% over the past year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ October report.
Inflation has taken the brunt of the blame, though it’s showing signs of slowing. Still, restaurants are dealing with the rising cost of food products and the increasing cost of labor.
Since prices for many consumer goods likely won’t return to pre-pandemic levels anytime soon, economists have suggested raising workers’ wages to help people pay for them, the Associated Press reported.
NewsNation’s Dray Clark contributed to this report.
