To the Editor:
In April 2026, while visiting Sedona, Arizona, we purchased two McDonald’s vanilla cones for a total of $2.82. Last week in Culver City, we paid $3.74 for each cone—before tax. That’s $7.48 for the same number of cones that cost us $2.82 just months earlier.
Different cities, different operating costs—I understand. But more than two and a half times the price for the same simple treat?
My recent research found reported U.S. cone prices ranging from $0.79 in the Midwest to $4.69 in Hawaii. These may not be directly comparable locations, but that is still a remarkable spread for a familiar product sold under the same golden arches.
What happened to the inexpensive pleasure of stopping for an ice cream cone? At these prices, it feels less like an affordable treat and more like a test of whatever the market will bear.
Customers cannot know the actual markup without knowing the restaurant’s costs. But we can recognize when a little indulgence no longer feels like good value.
Perhaps the only message that will register is the one we send by keeping our wallets closed.
Sincerely,
Paulette Greenberg
