McDonald's announces price increases across Taiwan

Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) Fast-food chain McDonald's will increase its prices by an average of 2.4 percent at its restaurants across Taiwan, starting Wednesday, the company announced while also highlighting new offerings and deals.

The prices of 16 items, including the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Filet-O-Fish and 10-piece chicken nuggets, and three "snack" items -- beef burgers, cheeseburgers and a piece of fried chicken -- will go up by NT$3 (US$0.09) after 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, according to a statement issued by McDonald's Taiwan on Monday.

Orders of two pieces of fried chicken -- a drumstick and a thigh -- will cost NT$6 more, the chain said.

Fourteen breakfast items will also see their prices go up by NT$2. They include McMuffins, bagels, and pancakes, and 13 drinks -- various milk tea drinks, all coffee drinks, bottled orange juice and water, and medium-sized sugar-free tea drinks -- the statement said.

Several "snack" items, including apple pies, corn soup (small), ice cream cones (large), and bags of four and six pieces of chicken nuggets will also cost NT$2 more, the chain said.

With the price increases, a Big Mac will cost NT$78 and an Egg McMuffin NT$52 at around 400 McDonald's restaurants across Taiwan.

The price increases apply when a customer orders the food items, snacks, or drinks on their own rather than as part of meal deals, according to the chain.

Meal deals that include a burger or another main food item, a drink and snacks will only increase by NT$2-6, McDonald's said.

Also on Monday, the chain began a month-long campaign to mark the one-year anniversary of its revamped app by offering discounts and "buy one, get one free" deals, according to the statement.

The chain will also begin selling new products, including fried yam balls and a new product line of quinoa salads, as well as limited-time NT$99 and NT$129 meal deals on Wednesday, it said.

It was the seventh consecutive year the chain announced overall price increases in Taiwan.

McDonald's opened its first restaurant in Taiwan 40 years ago, and its Taiwanese operations were sold and became a franchise in mid-2017.