Getting McDonald's Delivered? Here's How To Avoid That Small Order Fee

Fast food is a cornerstone of the nation's dining landscape, originally built on speed and convenience, and modernized by delivery services. But when it comes to McDonald's, ordering delivery with the chain's app may incur a "small order fee" — an extra charge between $2 and $3.50 for any order totaling less than $10, though depending on location, that threshold may be as high as $15.

Unfortunately, there aren't many ways around this. McDonald's is not known to run any promotions waiving the fee, and the only way to avoid it on the chain's branded McDelivery is to simply order more food. But what about third-party delivery apps?

As tested in upper Manhattan, the small order fee does not exist when ordering McDonald's on Uber Eats or DoorDash — an interesting exception, given that McDelivery is actually done by contractors for both of these apps. However, third-party delivery apps have their own opaque fees, which make the subtotal similarly prohibitive for delivering just a cheeseburger.

Fast food chains have a lot of tricks to get you to spend more. Using the store's app also entices the customer with flashy visuals for limited-time promotions. McDonald's small order fee is another arrow in this quiver. When you try to check out with a small enough cart, the app will often prompt you to add more food. This is a likely clue that you're going to get hit with the fee.

Customers have been particularly irked by this fee since McDonald's started adding it in 2022. It could be considered part of an overall price hike. McDonald's raised prices 40% between 2019 and 2025. The company claims that this is linked to rising business costs, including labor and food. But it makes little difference to the cash-strapped consumer, especially with fees piling on top.

With little way around the small order fee, you may as well get more food for spending more money. And believe it or not, some menu items keep and reheat nicely. Chicken McNuggets reheat surprisingly well in an air fryer; a few minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and they're arguably crispier than they were when purchased. And with a 4-piece McNugget priced around $3 to $4 (depending on location), it's about as costly as the small order fee anyway.