Kevin Roberts remembers when he could get a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a drink from Five Guys for $10. But that was years ago. When the Virginia high school teacher recently visited the fast-food chain, the food alone without a beverage cost double that amount.
Roberts, 38, now only gets fast food “as a rare treat,” he told CBS MoneyWatch. “Nothing has made me cook at home more than fast-food prices.”
Roberts is hardly alone. Many consumers are expressing frustration at the surge in fast-food prices, which are starting to scare off budget-conscious customers.
A January poll by consulting firm Revenue Management Solutions found that about 25% of people who make under $50,000 were cutting back on fast food, pointing to cost as a concern.
I was flabbergasted yesterday when I got 2 happy meals for the kids, a mcrispy and a filet of fish, and the teller said $30. My wife and I just stared. Wtf happened. We went there for a quick easy cheap meal while road tripping. Next time we’re packing sandwiches.
are you still staring? did you end the road trip? you really just left the story hanging there.
We stared as long as socially acceptable before accepting and paying.
I don’t know your family composition, but even here in Europe, 30€ for a quick meal for 4 is fucking cheap. Like, under the poverty-line cheap.
In Europe there is actually about 20% (it varies from country to country) VAT in such meals and in the countries were the price of those MacDonald’s products would be that high, the minimum salary (which is what most of people working for McD get paid) is actually high enough for people to be able to afford it.
Were I am - Portugal - a Happy Meal is about €5, but then again the local minimum wage is €820 (per month, for 40h/week, so about $5.5 per hour)
It wasn’t even full meals. No drinks no sides for the adults. Just 2 sandwiches. And the kids got small happy meal portions. This is fast food. This is junk food.
At this point any restaurant meal we can get under 100 is good value lol