Tax fraud.

George_Michael

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

I don’t believe the meal of a salad, muffin and chocolate milkshake was sold hot.

Strange how you only added this information once it was mentioned about hot food attracting VAT and even stranger that the meal your friend ordered consisted of about the only 3 items that are sold cold in McDonalds.

If I was cynical, I would think that you made that list up.

Tallaght

The only reason they ask if eating in or out is they give you a tray if you eat indoors or place food and drink in a paper bag if you are eating out.

JCS1

Tallaght wrote: »

The only reason they ask if eating in or out is they give you a tray if you eat indoors or place food and drink in a paper bag if you are eating out.

No, it's all to do with qualifying cold food items which don't attract VAT.

Mr_Singleton

Takeaway milkshakes don't attract VAT. It's what 'confused' me. As McDonalds was charging the same for both. If you drank it in they'd give HMRC 20% VAT if you took it away they'd pocket that 20% as extra profit.

Pennywise

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

Takeaway milkshakes don't attract VAT. It's what 'confused' me. As McDonalds was charging the same for both. If you drank it in they'd give HMRC 20% VAT if you took it away they'd pocket that 20% as extra profit.

Have you looked at your receipt yet which will show the VAT?

Arthurarthur52

Not McD but taken from the greggs website

Answer:

We have to charge VAT if you wish to ‘eat in’ which we then pass over to HMRC. We also charge a little extra in our caf! shops as we provide additional services. We’ll always let you know by showing both the eat in and takeaway prices on our shelf tickets.

Takmon

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

I don’t believe the meal of a salad, muffin and chocolate milkshake was sold hot.

The only salads that McDonald's sell as a meal contain chicken which is served hot.

You can get a side salad without chicken but it's not sold as a meal. A side salad, muffin and milkshake is not a meal sold by McDonald's, they are three separate items.

Robisere

So that's the reason why a certain takeaway always asks if I want a receipt. In future I will answer 'Yes please' instead of my usual 'No thank you'. I am always polite!

TripleH

Bear in mind that if they don't pay the VAT, they earn extra profit, but then pay extra corporation tax. Not all McDonalds are owned by the company, a number are franchises.

However HMRC apparently work on percentages when calculating VAT so can narrow down areas to investigate further.

Barny1979

I thought cake was VAT exempt? Hence a muffin would be exempt?