McDonald’s Class Action Lawsuit Claims Customers Were Hit With Orange Juice Surcharge

McDonald’s is currently the subject of a class action lawsuit, whose claimants suggest that they were hit with an unnecessary surcharge for ordering orange juice with breakfast combos.

According to Top Class Actions, a law firm in Santa Monica, California, is representing clients who allege that the fast-food giant misleadingly advertises its breakfast combos with pictures of orange juice at a fixed price but then charges consumers extra for the juice. The plaintiffs argue that this practice breaches consumer protection laws by introducing a “hidden” surcharge, resulting in unforeseen expenses for customers.

The lawsuit aims to hold McDonald’s accountable for its pricing and advertising practices, seeking compensation for impacted customers and reforms in how the company displays its breakfast menu.

The additional costs are allegedly only disclosed to customers after they have paid and received their receipts.

The lawsuit claims McDonald’s tricks consumers into thinking orange juice is included in the advertised price by using deceptive advertising. Amber Meyers, one of the plaintiffs, claims that she had been eating her typical breakfast combo — a Two Sausage Egg McMuffin meal with orange juice — for almost a year and was unaware that the drink was being upcharged.

“If I knew there was a surcharge for the orange juice, I wouldn’t have ordered it every time,” Meyers stated in the complaint.

Other plaintiffs nationwide share similar experiences. Travis Smith of Florida and Joshua Dini of Nevada claim that McDonald’s menu boards misled them into thinking that orange juice was part of the stated combo rates.

McDonald’s Faces Activist Pressure on Food Waste

The proposed class action lawsuit isn’t the only issue facing the fast-food giant. A shareholder activism group has stepped up its attempts to improve transparency about food waste data at casual dining and fast-food establishments.

The Accountability Board (TAB), a group that owns an investment portfolio that includes over 200 companies, primarily in the fast-food and retail sectors, indicated that it had submitted shareholder proposals seeking expanded disclosure of company practices regarding food waste, specifically targeting McDonald’s, BJ’s, El Pollo Loco, and other restaurant companies.

Matthew Prescott, the president and co-founder of TAB, expressed both a tangible financial stake in the subject as well as concern for environmental or climate-related factors.

“It’s a financial issue,” Prescott said. “All waste is financial waste. Strategies that mitigate food waste also save money.”