McDonald’s hit by ‘southerners surcharge’ spoof

McDonald’s has been struck by an internet prank claiming that the fast food chain is making surcharges to “Mediterranean-looking” customers.The e-mail – which aims to resemble an official McDonald’s Austria press release – has made the rounds on the World Wide Web in the past days.The note announces that clients “with a southern appearance” will be asked to cough up an extra 1.50 Euros per order in the 174 McDonald’s restaurants in the country. It explains McDonald’s Austria sees itself forced to introduce the surcharge as a “security fee” due to the “increasing number of attacks against our staff.”A spokesman for the company – which has around 8,000 employees in Austria – stressed today (Thurs) that the message was a fake.McDonald’s is the leading brand in the Austrian fast food gastronomy industry. The firm said last month it will invest 20 million Euros this year to refurbish some of its outlets and open “up to 10” new ones.