Is Fast Food Affordable Anymore? Here’s How Menu Prices Have Changed Over the Years [2024]

[EvilEyeFleegle]

Wow! In 10 years prices have surged..some more than 100%. This is far in advance of any 'inflation'.
Fast food..which is neither fast..nor good food...is not a necessity.

Is Fast Food Affordable Anymore? Hereâs How Menu Prices Have Changed Over the Years [2024]

To analyze rising fast food prices, FinanceBuzz collected data for restaurants in the last decade and calculated how prices have gone up compared to inflation.

financebuzz.com

Key findings​

• From 2014 to 2024, average menu prices have risen between 39% and 100% — all increases that outpace inflation during the given time period (31%).
• McDonald’s menu prices have doubled (100% increase) since 2014 across popular items — the highest of any chain we analyzed.
• Popeyes follows McDonald’s with an 86% increase, and Taco Bell is third at +81%.
• Menu prices at Subway and Starbucks have risen by “just” 39% since 2014 — the lowest among chains we studied. These are also the only restaurants where prices have risen by less than 50%.

How does fast food inflation compare to actual inflation?​

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of goods has risen 31% since 2014. This means that $100 in 2014 dollars is worth $131 in 2024 dollars. Much of this change has happened in the last 5 years — inflation is up 22% since 2019. So how do the average menu price increases at popular fast food chains compare to those rates?

The restaurants we evaluated raised prices by 60% on average between 2014 and 2024. That means they’ve raised prices at a rate nearly double the national rate of inflation.
Five different restaurants — McDonald’s, Popeyes, Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Jimmy John’s — raised their prices at more than double the actual inflation rate. McDonald’s raised prices so much that their average menu prices increased more than three times the national rate of inflation.

 

[1srelluc]

LOL....Pretty soon you will have to take out a second mortgage for a bucket of chicken.

Pro-tip.....On average a piece of chicken at KFC or Popeyes is around $1.50 a piece.....If you go to a grocery store that has a hot bar that sells food by weight buy wings and drumsticks, they weigh less and are much more tasty. It works out to around .35 cents each.

 

[lg325]

Its no longer a good deal to go to a fast food joint.

 

[sealybobo]

Wow! In 10 years prices have surged..some more than 100%. This is far in advance of any 'inflation'.
Fast food..which is neither fast..nor good food...is not a necessity.

Is Fast Food Affordable Anymore? Hereâs How Menu Prices Have Changed Over the Years [2024]

To analyze rising fast food prices, FinanceBuzz collected data for restaurants in the last decade and calculated how prices have gone up compared to inflation.

financebuzz.com

Key findings​

• From 2014 to 2024, average menu prices have risen between 39% and 100% — all increases that outpace inflation during the given time period (31%).
• McDonald’s menu prices have doubled (100% increase) since 2014 across popular items — the highest of any chain we analyzed.
• Popeyes follows McDonald’s with an 86% increase, and Taco Bell is third at +81%.
• Menu prices at Subway and Starbucks have risen by “just” 39% since 2014 — the lowest among chains we studied. These are also the only restaurants where prices have risen by less than 50%.

How does fast food inflation compare to actual inflation?​

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of goods has risen 31% since 2014. This means that $100 in 2014 dollars is worth $131 in 2024 dollars. Much of this change has happened in the last 5 years — inflation is up 22% since 2019. So how do the average menu price increases at popular fast food chains compare to those rates?

The restaurants we evaluated raised prices by 60% on average between 2014 and 2024. That means they’ve raised prices at a rate nearly double the national rate of inflation.
Five different restaurants — McDonald’s, Popeyes, Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Jimmy John’s — raised their prices at more than double the actual inflation rate. McDonald’s raised prices so much that their average menu prices increased more than three times the national rate of inflation.

The king of fries is McDonald. And they have to be freshly made. On one day in my town small fries are $1. I order 2 of them. $2. Then I order 2 McDoubles. Buy one get one for a buck so $4 for two McDoubles.

So $6 you can get 2 McDoubles and a shit load of fries.

The only time I get Big Macks or Quarter Pounders or Felet O Fish's is when they do BOGO or Buy one get one for $1. They are EXPENSIVE. The 2 McDoubles for $4 are close enough to the Quarter Pounder.

I miss 5 for $5 at Arby's.

I miss Taco Bell $1 menu. Tacos should only be $1. I refuse to pay more for a taco.

Burger King, only when I get coupons in the mail. And I hate their fries. Remember 2 Whoppers for $5? Now it's 2 Whopper Jr's. Fuck that. Shrinkflation

I hate Wendy's burgers and fries. It's not HORRIBLE but the buns suck. Not enough meat. Something about Wendy's I don't like. Is it the food or the price?

I don't do a lot of the Sonics, Rallies,

Remember Hot and Now's? I think they were $59 cents a burger. As a college student in the 90's I'd get 6 of them for dinner. Put the cheese, mustard and katsup on back at home.

Love White Castle Burgers but that's it. Their fries suck. I can scarf 10 of those down. Eat one in 2 bites. But yummy.

 

[lg325]

Krystals for me for a fast food joint their breakfast is a real bargain as is their burgers. Or was they increased prices a lot.

 

[EvilEyeFleegle]

The king of fries is McDonald. And they have to be freshly made. On one day in my town small fries are $1. I order 2 of them. $2. Then I order 2 McDoubles. Buy one get one for a buck so $4 for two McDoubles.

So $6 you can get 2 McDoubles and a shit load of fries.

The only time I get Big Macks or Quarter Pounders or Felet O Fish's is when they do BOGO or Buy one get one for $1. They are EXPENSIVE. The 2 McDoubles for $4 are close enough to the Quarter Pounder.

I miss 5 for $5 at Arby's.

I miss Taco Bell $1 menu. Tacos should only be $1. I refuse to pay more for a taco.

Burger King, only when I get coupons in the mail. And I hate their fries. Remember 2 Whoppers for $5? Now it's 2 Whopper Jr's. Fuck that. Shrinkflation

I hate Wendy's burgers and fries. It's not HORRIBLE but the buns suck. Not enough meat. Something about Wendy's I don't like. Is it the food or the price?

I don't do a lot of the Sonics, Rallies,

Remember Hot and Now's? I think they were $59 cents a burger. As a college student in the 90's I'd get 6 of them for dinner. Put the cheese, mustard and katsup on back at home.

Love White Castle Burgers but that's it. Their fries suck. I can scarf 10 of those down. Eat one in 2 bites. But yummy.

Hmm..I sense an addiction here eh?

What Causes Fast Food Addiction and How Can I Break It?

Learn about fast food addiction and its effects on your health. Learn why this addiction occurs and how you can overcome it.

www.medicinenet.com

 

[Oddball]

 

[jotathought]

When your paying entry-level burger flippers $20+/hr .. what do you expect? Eventually, it will provide diminishing returns with the product and service being provided.

 

[1srelluc]

My Arby's has a kickin' sausage-n-gravy biscuit for around $3.00 with tax for when I have a Jones for such.

If you just avail yourself of just that and not get coffee, juice, and taters to go with it then it's about as cost effective than making it at home given the cost ($5 - $6) of a pound of good country sausage.

 

[EvilEyeFleegle]

When your paying entry-level burger flippers $20+/hr .. what do you expect? Eventually, it will provide diminishing returns with the product and service being provided.

Nice way to work in the current narrative..however--this steep price rise started 10 years ago..and the first $20 hr paychecks have yet to be cut.
Now, I have zero issue with fast food joints pricing themselves out of the market..shit is poison~

 

[sealybobo]

Hmm..I sense an addiction here eh?

What Causes Fast Food Addiction and How Can I Break It?

Learn about fast food addiction and its effects on your health. Learn why this addiction occurs and how you can overcome it.

www.medicinenet.com

Sometimes, on the right day, I do it because it's only $6 for two mcdoubles and 2 small fries. I don't even know what the day is. It's a weekday. And I don't go unless they have a special.

Maybe a little bit of a problem when they do BOGO. I do that for lunch way too many times until the special is over. Then I stop because it's too damn expensive.

They should make a Big Mack $4.50 and a combo should only be $6. Instead it's like $10. Fuck them.

 

[j-mac]

This is insane....And why I no longer will buy ANYTHING from any one of these chains, unless it is absolutely necessary....You can get a much better deal at a good diner for less money, and better service....Or, when on the road I just make my own food at home, and heat it up in the truck....Screw giving these places ANY of my money.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Nobody should be eating that shit anyway.

 

[j-mac]

Sometimes, on the right day, I do it because it's only $6 for two mcdoubles and 2 small fries

Wow! who the hell would eat two burgers, and two fries for lunch? Do you know how much sugar that turns into in your body? It's a recipe for Type II diabetes ....

 

[sealybobo]

My Arby's has a kickin' sausage-n-gravy biscuit for around $3.00 with tax for when I have a Jones for such.

If you just avail yourself of just that and not get coffee, juice, and taters to go with it then it's about as cost effective than making it at home given the cost ($5 - $6) of a pound of good country sausage.

Here's another thing I do. I get 2 sausage biscuits for $3. Then I take them home, cook the sausages a little more, put the biscuits in the toaster oven, half piece of cheese on each sandwich and I make 1 egg and put 1/2 an egg on each sandwich.


So I add my own egg and cheese. If I order a sausage egg and cheese their about $5 each. All I need is 1 cheese and 1 egg and I supersize them. PERFECT.

I wish they'd let me buy bacon biscuit for $3 but it's only sausage ones.

And McMuffins are little bit more but every once in awhile I'll spoil myself and get 2 McMuffin ones. LOL. Such a cheap ass.

The best is I have a breakfast diner near me for $10 or $12 you get EVERYTHING. Toast, pancakes, 3 meats, hash browns, eggs, fuck! So good.

 

[1srelluc]

I think that right now Wendy's has the best fries....Mickey D's fries have sucked for years....It's just that the youngin's don't know any better.

Here's Why McDonald's Fries Don't Taste the Way They Used To

McDonald's fries used to have a secret ingredient.

www.tasteofhome.com

 

[sealybobo]

Nobody should be eating that shit anyway.

When I buy the sausage biscuit and cook the sausages more because I like them more well done, I also squeeze out the grease in the napkins. Why eat that grease if you don't have to?

 

[sealybobo]

I think that right now Wendy's has the best fries....Mickey D's fries have sucked for years....It's just that the youngin's don't know any better.

Here's Why McDonald's Fries Don't Taste the Way They Used To

McDonald's fries used to have a secret ingredient.

www.tasteofhome.com

If McD are fresh, hot, salted, they are still good.

I didn't click on your link is it a different grease they use now?

Wendy fries are pretty good. But not what I want. I don't want fat fries. I want McD thin crispy fries. With katsup.

 

[pknopp]

As noted this has been ongoing for a decade (or longer) and it correlates with record profits.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/m...rnings-sales-rise-above-expectations-8c80d7ba

 

[1srelluc]

If McD are fresh, hot, salted, they are still good.

I didn't click on your link is it a different grease they use now?

Wendy fries are pretty good. But not what I want. I don't want fat fries. I want McD thin crispy fries. With katsup.

Read it and see.