'I brought cheese slices with me to McDonald's to put on burgers. Had a fight with a friend. Am I overreacting?'
"I brought cheese slices with me to McDonald's to put on burgers. Had a fight with a friend. Am I overreacting?"
A friend was hanging out a my home. We decided to get McDonald's but in Australia it's expensive and I don't believe spending $16 for a meal, especially when I'm gonna get hungry 15 mins later.
Anyway, a hamburger is $2 and a cheeseburger is $5.30. Sometimes when I go to McDonald's, I just get a hamburger and put my own sliced cheese in it and make it a cheeseburger. We went to McDonald's and I did just that. I brought 2 X cheese packet slices, got 2 X hamburgers for $4 and put the slices in.
Keep in mind, we did drive through and no one was watching us. Just us 2 in the car. My friend said she's embarrassed for me and I said, I ain't paying $11 for 2 X cheeseburgers when I just paid $4 and just brought my own cheese.
She said if I do anything "cheap" again in public, she will be more embarrassed and will walk in front of me. She was actually serious. Then I said "your top is from Shein or Temu, I don't think you can speak."
The little passive aggressive argument went on and I finally said "What is your problem? What I'm doing is not that serious, I just brought my own cheese to save money. Not that big of a deal and no one is watching.
I feel sorry for you that you feel that you need to impress strangers at McDonald's." It was an awkward drive back home then she left my home. We didn't contact each other. Am I overreacting?
Edit: Sorry, I didn't think this would blow up, to answer some questions:
- It was those packet cheese slices individually wrapped you get at supermarkets for like $4 for a packet of 24.
- I didn't tell her I was doing it before we left, I just put those two cheese slices in my pocket, Mcdonald's was a 5 minute drive.
- Yes, you can check Australian hamburger vs cheeseburger prices, a hamburger is $2 and cheeseburger is $5.30 (but it can very from store to store, one store selling it for like $5.50)
- To be honest, even if we were dining in, I would have still put it on. No one is going to care and I highly doubt anyone is gonna see, if they do see, they can judge all they want.
- My friend is not rich nor broke but also she's not the smartest person financially.
- I, myself ain't 'cheap' per se in the sense I will try penny pinch everything. I honestly don't see the point of paying $5.30 for a cheeseburger which feeds a 3yr old when I can just bring my own and pay $2.
For 2 x cheeseburgers, I can get 5 hamburgers and just bring 5 cheese slices. I mean, do I want 2 burgers or 5 burgers for the same price? Also, the cheese I got taste way better than McDonald's cheese IMO, it actually has a cheese taste lol.
- We went to McDonalds because it's 11.30pm, nothing is really open at this time except for expensive food truck places and their burgers alone (not a meal) can easily be $17+ for one burger.
- After tonight, I don't think I want to contact her again, she showed her true colours.
Here’s what people had to say to OP:
Personally, if I were the friend I would've given you a hard time for it because that's funny af and then brought cheese slices next time because you're onto something $3.50 for cheese is CRAZY work.
I'm not broke but I too would bring my own cheese slices if they were charging $3.50 just for cheese on a McDonald's freaking hamburger. That's just wrong.
She’s embarrassed because McD’s is such a luxe establishment where society’s finest gather to dine?
I wish my biggest problem in life was whether I brought cheese to McDonald’s or not.
NOR . I'm also in Australia and this is a brilliant idea. Be so bloody cheap. Do all the cheap things. Seriously. Our financial situation country wide is so messed up right now. Your friends privilege (or idiocy) is showing. Your friend is being so elitist.
Your friend would have a leg to stand on if you did it in the open in the restaurant. No one wants to be with the person that pulls out pocket add-ons and throws them on their food in a reataurant. But in your car? That's utterly ridiculous. And I think your come back was pretty strong, and I don't mean strong any bad way but, like, good job.
You are not overreacting. your friend is strangely and excessively worried about what other people think. I can understand their view if you whipped out your slices in the middle of a restaurant, but you were doing takeout. People adapt and use takeout in a million different ways. Zero issue w/ that. Totally normal.
You’re not over reacting. It’s weird she’s embarrassed for you… genuinely who cares? If my friend wants to save a few bucks by bringing their own cheese all the power to them. Honestly by bringing your own cheese you save enough to get 2 more burgers.
Nah, you do what you gotta do to save a couple bucks. Honestly who cares what anyone else thinks of you. And if these comments go and say otherwise. Let’s just remind them that some places make you pay for sauce packets.
So hopefully they buy that $1 or $2 up charge for the Parmesan pack for their pizzas, instead of using it at home, or the $1 dipping cups for ranch or hot sauce better get them instead of using it at home.
It would be the same way for someone who had a dairy allergy but wanted a cheeseburger, and brought their dairy free cheese from home. For someone to be embarrassed because of that is kinda embarrassing for them.