McDonald's Australia customers are up in arms after discovering an unexpected price hike on the popular Soft Serve Cone. The dessert has long been touted as a budget-friendly offering on the Macca's menu, famously priced as low as 30 cents for many years.
Price Discrepancy Sparks Outrage
Most recently, the price of a soft serve cone has been 50 cents, featured on the Macca's Loose Change Menu, where every item is priced under $4. This menu operates nationwide from 10:30am to midnight. However, one observant customer noticed a significant price increase outside these hours. '95 cents [for a] Macca's Soft Serve???' the stunned customer posted in an online discussion forum, sharing a screenshot from the MyMacca's app. 'I could have sworn these were 50 cents yesterday, what happened?'
The customer explained they had checked the price on the mobile ordering app in the early hours of the morning. 'This was breakfast menu pricing, but what justifies this discrepancy?' they questioned.
Varied Prices Across Stores
Daily Mail Australia's research found that before 10:30am, a Soft Serve Cone only appeared on the Dessert menu, priced at $1.55 at one Sydney store and $1.35 at another. After 10:30am, it appeared on the Loose Change Menu for all restaurants at just 50 cents. The price also varied widely between different restaurants on the MyMacca's app before 10:30am. At several Sydney locations, prices ranged from $1.25 at Wynyard station to $1.35 at Haberfield and as high as $1.55 at Thornleigh, adjacent to McDonald's Australia Corporate Headquarters.
McDonald's Australia Responds
A McDonald's Australia spokeswoman explained that the company remains committed to offering 'exceptional everyday value' through the Loose Change Menu. 'For more than a decade, customers have been able to access great value through our Loose Change Menu, which features fan favourite menu items priced at $4 and under,' she said. 'As part of the Loose Change Menu, customers can enjoy a soft serve cone for just 50c, available from 10:30am to midnight every day across all restaurants nationwide.'
However, the vast price increase outside these hours has caused bafflement, with hundreds of comments flooding online discussions. Store workers chimed in to explain the differing prices. 'Loose Change Menu pricing only applies between 10:30am and midnight,' confirmed one store worker. 'Outside those times it reverts to whatever that franchise owner wants to set.'
Nostalgia for 30-Cent Cones
Many Macca's fans were nostalgic for bygone days when a Soft Serve Cone cost 30 cents. 'I remember when they were 30 cents,' read one nostalgic reply. 'I still call them the 30 cent cone,' another agreed. Another person wryly remarked that '95 cents is a lot for a 30 cent cone'.
Others felt the price change was a sign of the times, reflecting rising inflation. 'Well the median house price was $100k when cones were 30 cents… Compared to houses they should now be $2.50,' one financially-minded person replied. 'The soft serve cone at Maccas is my definitive indicator for how the economy is going,' another observed.
Recent Discontinuation of Chocolate Soft Serve
The price dilemma comes hot on the heels of another customer disappointment. Just over a month ago, McDonald's Australia quietly discontinued the Chocolate Soft Serve Cone, which had been on the menu since 2021. A McDonald's Australia spokeswoman confirmed last month that the chocolate version was no longer available. 'We regularly review and evolve our menu to keep it exciting and focused on what matters most to our customers,' she said. 'As part of this review, we've said goodbye to the Chocolate Soft Serve across restaurants nationwide from March 31, 2026.'
