‘Shame on McDonald’s for charging $15’: Mom goes to throw her Grinch meal in the trash at McDonald’s. Then another mother approaches her
A mom and daughter went to McDonald’s for a cute Grinch-themed lunch, but walked out with a bittersweet feeling instead. After paying $15 for the kids’ meal, the duo headed to the trash when an older mother gently stopped her. The moment was sweet, but the comments were furious. Why? The internet is now united on one thing: shame on McDonald’s for charging so much for a meal that isn’t even from Whoville.
A Poignant New Perspective
How often does one put thought into what a meal from McDonald’s is worth? Sure, it may be cheaper than most other places, but it doesn’t mean it’s affordable to everyone, especially with inflation plaguing several fast food places in recent years. One mom and daughter just experienced this firsthand.
Dayana, who goes by @dayajiselle on TikTok, captures a bittersweet moment and uploads it to TikTok. The short eight-second clip now has 4.6 million views and over a thousand comments.
The text overlay reads, “Today, we went to get the Grinch meals and as we were throwing our trash, a lady asked if she can have our Grinch box so she can put her daughter’s food inside of it. My daughter was excited about taking her box home, but before we got in the car, she asked me if she can go back and I’m very proud of her.” The video then shows Dayana’s daughter in the McDonald’s walking up to someone off-camera and extending the box to them. This is where the clip ends.
What is the McDonald’s Grinched Menu?
Launched on December 2, 2025, in the U.S and U.K, this new menu is selling out fast. McDonald’s rolled out what they call the Grinched Menu, consisting of seven different items one can order. The Grinch Big Mac Meal, the Grinch 9 Chicken McNuggets Meal, and the Grinch McPlant Meal all come with a pair of Grinch Socks. There are also other Grinch-inspired sides. The Grinched McShaker Fries come with Gherkin-flavoured seasoning. The Mischief McFlurry is “swirled with festive Smarties, sugar Christmas trees and topped with strawberry sauce.” They even have a Grinch frozen lemonade that is swirled with a melon-flavoured syrup. Lastly, the dessert Grumble Pie is a Crispy pastry filled with apple, cranberry, and custard.
What About the Prices?
Now, several viewers are angry about the prices, but not many mention the difference between the countries selling them. Newsweek sent out reporters in the two countries to compare taste and variety. Aside from the many comments about those, they also compared the prices.
“In Arizona, a regular Grinch Big Mac Meal costs $13.29. The Grinch 10-piece Chicken McNuggets meal is priced at $18.59. A portion of the Grinch McShaker fries costs $5.79.” Whereas in the U.K., the “Grinch McPlant meal costs £9.09 ($12.12.) The Grinch Big Mac Meal and Grinch 9 McNuggets meal are also priced at £9.09. The Frozen Grinch Lemonade is £3.19 ($4.25).” Either way, there’s no expenditure on a meal with less than $12.
@dayanajiselle so proud of my human ? #grinchmas #mcdonalds ♬ Silent Night – Instrumental – Piano Man Sam
Viewers Rally Against McDonald’s Pricing
Most of the top comments came from viewers blasting McDonald’s pricing. One viewer says, “Them not making the grinch meal affordable is diabolical.” While another shared, “I cant believe we live in a country that people dream to live in but yet there are more people here than many other countries that cant even afford a happy meal at Mcdonald’s.”
In a shift of tone, many viewers are commending Dayana for raising such a thoughtful daughter. One viewer says, “Good for her… shame on McDonald’s for charging $15 for that meal in the first place… I guess they were channeling the Grinch.”
Another viewer mentions, “[The daughter] is an empathist,” to which Dayana responds, “I notice she has a soft spot for elderly and immigrants. This lady was both.”
Lastly, one says, “Your daughter has the Grinch’s ‘grew three sizes’ heart. A daughter to be proud of.”
The Mary Sue reached out to the creator via TikTok direct message and to McDonald’s via email.
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