McDonald’s has quietly added a new meal deal to its menu comprising a Big Mac, a cheeseburger, a medium fries, a medium Coke and an apple pie or chocolate sundae for $9.95. They call it the Hunger Deal. (Presumably, McDiabetes Deal was already taken.)
The combined kilojoule count of the McDonald’s Hunger Deal is 5402kj — well over half your entire recommended daily intake. (As a reader below pointed out, this doesn’t even include the sundae or apple pie.)
We don’t know what to say about this. Just the other week we were poking fun at Americans for their over-sized McDonald’s meals — but this is far, far worse. The fact that it’s clearly aimed at a single patron boggles the mind.
Is this what society is coming to? Are these the meals that the average Australian wants to eat? Before long, we’ll probably be seeing hands-free burger feed bags on Australian menus too.
On the plus side, the deal is pretty decent in terms of value: you’re basically getting a medium Big Mac meal with a cheeseburger and sundae/apple pie thrown in for an extra $2. Nonetheless, we feel unable to recommend this deal to Lifehacker readers.
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We’ll leave you with a quote from horror maestro HP Lovecraft which we think sums up this new development nicely:
“We shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.”
Comments
79 responses to “McDonald’s Launches Mammoth 5402kj Meal Deal For One”
If you look carefully its actually 5040kJ before you add in the apple pie (970kJ) or sundae (1450kJ) making this potentially 6590kJ
I wonder if this breaches advertising law now, given it doesn’t actually advertise the total amount?
They’re specifying the added kJ in ‘fine print’. But someone probably will find a way to complain about it because they’re too stupid to read.
I believe the rule is meals have to show the total kilojoules. Idiots or not, when you let companies start getting around this with technicalities, they start pulling things like this.
“BUY A BURGER MEAL FOR 5 DOLLARS WITH DRINK/OR WATER AND CHIPS/OR AIR AND SUNDAE/ OR RICE CAKES… Total kj should = around 4000 or so with the actual meal but they’d just advertise the Burger itself with everything else in uber fineprint.
They do show the total amount. The meal has 2 options. The only way to do it is, to show the amount that is in every meal then + for each additional item. You can choose any drink you want. Each type of softdrink has a different amount of kj. They need to show every combo of drink + dessert? Also you can switch the softdrink for a milkshake, or any other type of drink too.
Also the + kj is not in the fine print. It’s on the same image as the main kj. The fine print includes other details.
So you missed the tiny tiny kilojoule writing for the pie and the icecream. Nice. With your logic then, how are they able to show a combination at all? How? Because they advertise with the highest kilo-joule rating drink, coke. That way, anything under that, is not considered false advertising. You can say something is in excess, but cannot say something is below. Same as they could say ‘Maximum of’ including say, the sundae kilo-joules.
Again, not too difficult.
The fine print is the 2 lines underneath the main diagram. Not the much larger text mentioning the kj’s in the pie & sundae.
And you do know that it’s approximate anyway don’t you? They don’t serve you exactly the same amount of fries everytime, the exact same extras on the burger, the exact same amount of icecream.
You know it’s based on an average serving right? O_o
You were the one who says they need to show the “maximum”. They show all the information needed with what they’ve done
Ok, cool story bro.
So what subway does?
Read all the subway fineprint and finding a meal with ‘6grams of fat’ or what ever the advertisement says is practically impossible
Do people seriously just get one meal when they go to McDonalds but? I for one, at least buy a large meal and two cheeseburgers. plus other stuff aswell 50% of the time.
Yes…
Hmm. I honestly can’t think of one person who would just get a value meal and nothing else.
really??? I typically get a single burger, or some fries – I rarely get a “meal” at Maccas. It’s more of a place to grab a snack than a place to get a real feed IMHO.
Having said that, that “hunger” deal looks perfect to share. I was unaware of this deal before, thanks LH! 😛
Perhaps that’s the difference, I don’t go there for a snack, or see it as an establishment to get just snacks. More of a last ditch resort to fill the void when everything else is closed / I’m too busy to get to the shops.
When I go, I just get a value meal and nothing else. I consider myself to be an overeater, but anything more than a medium meal is enough for me. Might have an icecream if I’m in the mood for one, but not usually.
Does this mean I’m broken?
Maybe it’s my friends and I who are broken! A single meal just doesn’t usually fill me up, (or at least not for longer then 15-20 minutes).
I guess what you consider as overeating is probably a lot different to me, I’m about 6’3′ and 80Kg so definitely not eating lots cause I’m overweight. Plus, I have a desk job and do very very little exercise, so higher energy requirements isn’t the issue either. I guess I lucked out with fast metabolism (for now).
Yeah you might have a faster metabolism. A friend of mine, who would be about 6ft and skinny as a rake, once ate 5 Big Macs in a single sitting (after having a plate of curry AND a large Nando’s chips about 2 hours prior).
But he’s the sort of guy who walked (and probably jogged after we turned back) 17km home because he didn’t want to bother anyone for a car ride home.
Lucky bastard he is!
I struggle to finish a value meal most of the time… I often skip the drink and fries and just get a burger and a dessert.
I can easily see the Hunger Deal being something that a friend and I would order to share if we went to McDonalds together. There’s easily enough food there for two women who don’t eat fast food often.
I must admit, I don’t ever go with girls to McDonald’s (classy, right?) so my comments I suppose can be generalized to my male friends. None of them are overweight and nearly all would eat this much to themselves though, which is the crazy thing.
Another girl here, who wouldn’t have a whole meal. I’ll usually just have a burger, and ideally share fries with someone (i.e. steal my boyfriend’s).
I always wonder about this, people are too polite to say anything, I guarantee most men don’t like food being taken from their plate though.
I’ll just leave this here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhaIL9iZ-os
Edit: Also – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvXbfrLpAx0
Oh Men at work. What a glorious movie.
I’m a girl and I’d usually go for a 3 nugget happy meal plus a cheeseburger, or a chicken burger meal plus a cheeseburger, or something along those lines. I like to eat more than one animal when I go to McDonalds.
I know many people who just get a value meal when going to McDonalds. Hell even some just get a burger by itself (myself included). The only people I’ve seen order more than a one meal for themselves seem to be overweight or obese…
I honestly see the opposite 90% of the time, I mean sure, you see obese and overweight people ordering a lot sometimes. But usually in my experience they are a little more conscious of their decisions and go for something smaller. Skinny people, on the other hand, aren’t watching their weight and seem to just buy as much as they please.
TROLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mfjA4bkrrVI/UElcPUpd_LI/AAAAAAAAAG4/2_zUcb7aD98/s1600/ronald-mcdonald-trollface.png
I’m actually being serious, though.
I usually get just a burger (double quarter pounder). On rare occasions I get small fries as well, and on extremely rare occasions I might get a full medium meal (although I don’t think I ever drink the whole drink).
For reference, I’m male, 81kg.
Maybe I just eat too much then!
Most of my mates get a meal and another large chips and a burger or two, personally I dunno how they can eat so much of it.. Though i’m guessing they were raised on it.
I personally just get a “meal” ha if you could call it that.
“Though i’m guessing they were raised on it.”
I considered this when writing the first comment, And would probably agree.
I know my mates only drank coke and other related carbonated drinks and continue to do so.
I suppose that’s why many companies with these types of products target children in their advertising so aggressively, so when they grow up they have developed long lasting brand loyalties.
Ever tried to stop drinking soft drinks? I found it much harder than nicotine.
Yep. Get ’em while they’re young and you got ’em for life!
I wouldn’t pass one up if offered, but if I had the choice when buying a drink usually I go for water if available since it doesn’t make me more thirsty later on haha.
some people…..but not me. I like mixing the meats personally……beef burger….chicken nuggets….beef burger….fillet o fish……mixing of animals is natural and should be encouraged at all times.
Someone actually suggested I try a big mac with one of the beef patties swapped for a mcchicken one. Then add bacon.
I dont like big macs, personally, But if you like mixing meat it could be worth a try!
If you’re consuming all of that food yourself, it might be time to re-assess your dietary habits…
P.S. That’s as one of my three daily meals, not as a snack between meals.
Yes. If i’m having DINNER there, i’ll buy say, a big mac and probably chips, but thats it. I wouldn’t buy a large meal (say, big Mac, Chips, coke) AND two cheeseburgers, that’d be way too much.
That is a very large medium chips.
Probably because the sides have been squeezed in, looks fatter then usual.
i understand that this is unreasonably large meal however i know why too many people that when they go to maccas they get a meal + a burger or 2 + something for dessert… i guess they are just catering to what people ask for
Everyone knows the hunger deal from McDonald’s was launched before December 2012 right?
Interesting. I’ve not seen it advertised before today — must have been a “soft” launch.
I think it must have been a very “soft” launch. I’m a McDonalds crew member (kitchen crew to be exact) and I’ve never even seen or heard of it!
I got one last Saturday. Actually me the GF shared a single meal. I took the big mac, she took the cheese burger. Felt less guilty that way.
Cause daily calories is so much more important than weekly calories amirite carb cyclers?
1200kcal. Good a for a dirty bulk.
Swap that cheeseburger for a 6 pack of nugs and I be there like a fatty!
If you don’t like it, don’t buy it… done.
Give your self a 3 minute lesson in Consumerism and get over it.
Considering everything at MAccas is a Rip off, this $9.95 meal to me tells me the McDonalds are listening to peoples complaints and saying FU to the dog nanny government.
The calorie to cost ratio makes it a good deal. I don’t mind doing something like this once a week. I just don’t eat breakfast or lunch and just have it for dinner, so the 1500 calories or so has no impact on my 1800 calorie allocation for the day. The rest of the week I eat mainly fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish so I think any nutritional loses for that day are almost negligible.
If you generally run a low calorie diet the impact of this massive serving isn’t going to really affect you. Then again, it’s not really health to only eat once a day, even if you don’t go over your recommended intake for the day.
Doesn’t matter how many times you eat a day or how much you eat in one sitting. All that matters is the calories and nutrition in total over a given period. Research has been done with intermittent fasting and eating meals every 30 minutes. The results are always the same. Calories and nutrition are the only thing that matter. Anything else is a old wives tale or a scam.
Even in my moments of weakness where I visit McD’s for lunch; when I feel like my hunger could under the right circumstances compel me to wholly consume a fully-grown horse; as a self-identified fatty-fatty-boombah: I would never consider purchasing and consuming one of these beetus-inducing, heart-stopping platters of saturated fat.
At my worst I might get a Double Quarter Pounder Meal. At my second worst, a burger meal like a Big Mac or McChicken plus a small burger like a cheese burger on the side. But I don’t think I could possibly add a dessert to that.
Maybe check out the movie Fathead on youtube, google keto diet as well. There are a lot of misconceptions about how good or bad saturated fats are re: metabolic syndrome/diabeetus.
I’m losing buckets of weight eating at maccas on keto. I just have to avoid the chips, buns and desserts. Scoff down heaps of double quarter pounders though, yummeh.
My wife and I tried keto for awhile but she fell off the wagon because she simply can’t tolerate high levels of meat and fat. If it’s not going to work for both of us, then there’s no room for it in our life.
We’ve decided to just moderate our intake, eat a balanced diet, and get more exercise.
This has been out for months. :/
Don’t think this is new mate. We have had it in QLD for a good 6 months maybe even 12 months.
Well if you only eat 2 meals a day like i usually do. I could eat this and have a huge dinner and still be under the recommended daily intake. So i can’t see any issue with it at all.
I’m more concerned about the new fitness craze and everyone ruining their body with excess exercise and dieting. I see all these guys who think they’re ripped, when i just feel really sorry for them and want to buy them a sandwich or burger because they’re close to anorexic. Most of them look like they would get blown away in a strong breeze.
This is actually a great deal for me, because it’s precisely what my wife and I would order for ourselves separately 🙂
Me: Big Mac, Fries & Coke
Her: Cheeseburger + apple pie
Win!
That is absolutely repulsive. How can someone eat that much crap in one sitting
Perfect meal without the dessert. I wonder if they would take it off for a reduced cost
Not likely, especially considering they charged a friend of mine extra, for taking off the tomato sauce on her cheeseburger…. :/
My greatest McDonalds creation was the Noah’s Ark – aptly named because you needed a cow, a pig and a chicken to make it happen.
You started with a Double Beef & Bacon and added the proper chicken breast fillet from whatever the chicken burger was called back then. “‘premium chicken fillet’ from the extras menu” got you the right one otherwise you’d end up with a McChicken patty.
Unfortunately the burger where the fillet came from isn’t on the menu anymore but it may be worth trying it with a McChamp patty because not a single person that I shared the Noah’s Ark with didn’t want another one
I think Maccas do lamb burgers now as well. I think you’d better update your Noah’s Ark!
The Australia New Zealand Standards Code (FSC) recommends an intake of 8,700 kilojoules for the average adult. This McDeal is almost a whole day’s worth. Talking about eating this plus a huge dinner and being ok is delusional.
Im a cheap ass so i get 2 mcdoubles and a small fries for $5 and that fills me up enough.
Chris Jager needs to realise that if people want to eat this than it’s okay, nothing wrong with it. Don’t buy it if you don’t like it, no need to make articles about how bad McDonalds are for selling big meals.
This has existed in New Zealand for literally years. I’m quite surprised it wasn’t a standard global offering. We call it the Hunger Buster. (There’s also a breakfast hunger buster, which has an egg mcmuffin, a Massive mcmuffin, hash brown and drink).
Seriously? Do you hate good value for money? Don’t blame McDonalds for your lack of self-control, Chris Jager! By the looks of your chub face you’ve been getting the calories elsewhere anyway (but at a terrible calories/dollar ratio).
I’m actually big boned. In my face.
Disagreeing with the main points of an article are all well and good, but are the personal insults really necessary?
This meal is fantastic. I’m going out to get one for dinner right now 😀
I can’t imagine why we have an obesity problem in this country.
Or any country. I love how there are people here saying “oh well if you don’t like it just don’t buy it’ which is fine, sure. But its ignoring the bigger problem. But allowing this sort of thing to become the norm, it changes what is considered to be standard, normal stuff into what is absolutely an unhealthy level.
Stopping this becoming the norm will help with health across the board, and save EVERYONE money in the long run, on health insurance if nothing else
Looks like a decent two person deal really. When the missus and I get maccas we regularly get one meal and a burger, sharing the chips and drink. I don’t know why everyone is so greedy these days having to have their “own” drink and chips. I’d rather just a bit with my meal, then go back to drinking water.
guys this is 2013… Nothing can be said to make fast food unappetizing . no matter what, its going to sell. I didn’t know about this meal before just now and me and my friends are going go buy 4 in about 15 min. Food now is all about quantity, lets not all bullshit another here
Yeah my step dad, brothers, and I got one of these each a few weeks ago and it was a real hit.
I got coke zero, reducing the total amount of sugar but I think my brothers got the sugary soft drink.
We are a family of tall (at just shy of 6′ I am by far the dwarf), extremely fit, and ox like champions who live life to the fullest and thus can put such foodstuffs to good use.
The weak, small, and inactive probably don’t live an awesome enough life to justify this. As such I agree that this is not appropriate for the majority of of LifeHacker readers.
The undertone of this article is really irritating.
When you act like these meals are bad it’s no different to some out of touch preacher complaining about homosexuality, it doesn’t affect you so leave it alone.
haha to the guy who said chub