Iceland made the proposal on their social media channels to the fast food chain after a photo of a single hash brown being listed for £1.99 at one of their restaurants went viral.

A post made by X user Martin Chapman posted on Tuesday, January 20, read: “£2 for one solitary hash brown. We are officially done.”

This brought plenty of criticism against the price, with some describing it as “bonkers” in the replies and others saying that they’d gone “too far”.

£2 for one solitary hash brown

We are officially done. pic.twitter.com/PdaJWIu1dx

— Martin Chapman (@MartinChapman12) January 20, 2026

Iceland took the opportunity to make a cheeky offer to McDonald’s on their social media channels.

In a ‘letter’ addressed to the chain’s mascot, Ronald McDonald and the wider McDonald’s team, they wrote: “We’ve noticed the nation is in mild distress over the price of a certain golden breakfast item.

“At Iceland, we think no one should start their day negotiating with their wallet. For £2, we can supply around 20 hash browns, a far more affordable way to fuel the nation.

“In the interest of national morale, breakfast peace, and keeping Britain properly fed before 11am, our freezer doors are open.”

Iceland described the pricing as a “matter of national importance” when explaining why they made the post.

A spokesperson for the supermarket added: “When customers are paying nearly £2 for a single hash brown, something is amiss.

 “If we can supply hash browns to McDonald’s at the same great value price we offer our own customers, that’ll help bring costs down at breakfast time, and we’re more than happy to have that conversation.

 “We take value seriously, and this feels like a matter of national importance, our door is open if needed.”

How did McDonald’s respond to the hash brown price criticism?

Responding to the initial image of the hash brown photo that went viral, McDonald’s shared that the £1.99 price point reflects pricing at less than 5% of their restaurants.

In most cases, customers will be paying between £1.59 and £1.69 for a single hash brown.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the chain said: “A significant proportion of our restaurants are owned and operated by Franchisees, who set their own prices.

“As a result, the price of individual items may vary; however, all share our commitment to providing customers with a high-quality restaurant experience and great value for money.”