Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Food And Drink, UK News, McDonalds
Daisy Phillipson
While McDonald’s fans across the nation were delighted to see the Big Tasty return to the menu, it looks like the fast food giant has to ration one of its ingredients due to a huge shortage.
The food supply chain overall has been hit by a whole range of challenges in recent months, from rising fuel costs and Brexit through to the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result, there’s been a shortage of various ingredients of late - for Maccie’s, they’re struggling to get enough tomatoes.
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In order to eke out the stock they do have, Big Tasty and Big Tasty with Bacon burgers will now only be served with one slice of tomato instead of two.
Granted, there are worse things they could be short on - the special Big Tasty sauce being a prime example.
However, one customer who noticed a missing tomato slice from their burger spoke about it on Twitter yesterday (6 April).
Tagging McDonald’s UK’s official account, they asked: “What's happening with the missing tomatoes? Do we need the Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery? Is this another Brexit benefit?"
As well as responding to the customer, McDonald's also provided a statement on the situation.
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A spokesperson told LADbible: “We are currently experiencing a shortage in our supply of tomatoes.
"As a result, the Big Tasty and the Big Tasty with Bacon are being served with one slice of tomato rather than two.
"We apologise for any inconvenience, and thank our customers for their patience. We are working hard to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”
According to Fruitnet.com, a tomato shortage has been created in the UK due to what is being described as the ‘perfect storm’ of circumstances.
Among the causes are driver protests in Spain over fuel prices, reduced plantings in the UK and the Netherlands and restrictions on tomato exports from Morocco.
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Numerous people have commented on social media about the situation, including one person who wrote: “Did you know, we have a tomato shortage in the UK right now?
“Went to McDonalds yesterday, and they had a sign saying they had a shortage of tomatoes. Went to Sainsbury’s after, absolutely zero tomatoes for sale. None!”
Another said: “Popped to McDonald's an hour ago for supper (as you do) and they had signs up saying they could only add one slice of tomato to their burgers due to a national shortage.”
LADbible has reached out to McDonald’s UK for comment.