Is the hamburger in the window???
Fast food is beloved in America because it is cheap and convenient.
The recent inflation report for April showed that since President Biden took office, the cost of eating out at restaurants is up nearly 22%. However, fast food has been hit particularly hard, with prices dramatically rising at the most popular restaurant chains beginning even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Big Mac sandwich at McDonald’s, for example, cost $3.99 in 2019. Now, that price has more than doubled to $8.29, according to Fast Food Menu Prices, an online tracker.
Full article, HERE from Fox.
I will admit to a ‘guilty pleasure’ of an occasional Big Mac meal. I used to do that about once a week if I was in a hurry.
Now, it’s maybe once a month, at best. And I used to like the bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit and an orange juice to go with my coffee on the way to work. That used to be right at $5 in 2018. Last week, I was running late so decided to hit Micky D’s on the way into town. Same sandwich and OJ is now $7.88!
So now I cook my own…
The real question is what happens when those fast food places go away? When they are no longer profitable to the franchises? I’m betting they will be closed in a heartbeat.
Do you have small local restaurants? I know we do, and we make sure we support them on a regular basis, because we don’t want to lose them. Granted they are not as fast as ‘fast food’, but they’re hanging on because the locals support them! And most of them are cheaper than the fast food places!!!
Might be worth thinking about.
Hey Old NFO;
And there is something to being a “Regular” at a local establishment. 😉
The local diners are all that we do anymore, when we do go out for food, which is much less often now.
John in Indy
And don’t forget that “fast” food is often not. At times I’ve had wait as long as I would in a faster sit down restaurant.
I thought our local MCD was high, but here a Big Mac is $6.49. The meal is over $9.
A block away is a sports bar with lunch specials of a burger, fries, and drink ranging from $8.50 to $13 depending on the choice – for the same price I’ll take table service over counter service any day!
A few observations of McD’s:
1) In my experience, they are the ONLY fast food joint that ALWAYS has their shit together. Overall cleanliness, proper staffing, food consistency, orders in/orders out, drive-thru operation, etc.
2) It is the lowest priced franchise fast-food meal. A 6 inch sub meal with chips and a drink at Subway is now just under $15! And they have the audacity to want a tip!
3) IMHO, McD food is not the best fast food. Its OK, and I only eat it maybe once a month. Maybe.
Working in the fire service, I normally pack my own food for each shift. Once in a while I don’t pack lunch and drive 6 miles across town to a little lakeside one off convenience store that makes over stuffed sandwiches and grinders right there. Not cheap, but real good. They also give us free coffee if we stop by in uniform too.
I loathe MacDonald’s because you need a computer degree to order from their ‘menu”. Not for me. Recently I went online for the first time with Sonic. Convenient. The Sonic is four blocks away. Arrived five minutes early and my order was delivered to my window one minute later than I specified. OK
Call me older than dirt but a double cheeseburger shouldn’t fit in the palm of your hand.
All the McD’s in my A.O. have the ordering kiosks. I however, ignore them and walk up to the counter forcing a real person to take my order and my cash. If I were ordering food for a family of four or more and paying with a debit or credit card, perhaps the kiosk would be easier. My order is usually simple, placed and paid for quickly, and quicker than the kiosk.
When fast food joints and other restaurants go out of business there will be even MORE people on welfare, totally dependant on the Fed Gov. And these people will vote the way the criminals in power want them to vote. All part of the criminal lefts plan.
Govermnent has had the goal of putting small business out of business for years. Big business makes political donations, small business not so much.
Bob- LOL, yeah, getting hassled by the wait staff is one of those ‘benefits’…
John- Same here.
Jon- Yep, options! I do hit Chick-fil-A once a week and get a salad after working at the AL Post.
Glypto- Good point! And yes, those little convenience stores have the ‘best’ sandwiches!!! We have one about 15 miles away that does great sandwiches!
WSF- That is true, especially with the ‘kiosks’… sigh
Dan- I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you do have a good point.
We usually go someplace with table service if we eat out anymore, except for Philly steaks and BBQ.
Haven’t been to a restaurant in some time. This morning, after getting my new hearing aids at the VA (amazing new features above my 2018 ones!!) we had breakfast at Perkins. $48.63 not including tip! Last time we’ll eat out for a bit!!! For that price I expect the eggs on the plate and the chicken that laid them in a plastic takeout bag.
TOS- I’m getting that way.
Bob- Wow!!!
That’s why so many chains are closing many of their stores.
$15-$20/hr help doesn’t help.
The diner I eat at has gone up.
Large retiree clientele. But those guys are on a fixed income.
Today we had lunch at a family-owned place for less than fast food would have cost and a higher quality, too. I’ve taken to keeping coupons for fast food in my car just in case I need to stop for lunch somewhere while on errands. And sometimes, I’ll grab something at 7-11 or Sam’s Club. It’s cheaper.
I had a chance to stop at Whataburger when they still had the breakfast menu open. Got a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit for (can’t remember, but more) and it wasn’t the size of a MCD 1/4 pounder anymore-more like a little bigger than the same at MCD.
My fast food is now Bill Millers 2 chopped beef sandwiches for $5.09.
On the weekends, my wife and I go to Wendy’s for breakfast for the 2 for $3 (yeah, we cheap :^) before 10:30 a.m. An egg and cheese bisquit and a sausage bisquit purchased for $3.25. Combine the sausage paddy into egg and cheese bisquit and have a spare bisquit for later or bring fillings from home if you prefer. A Senior drink (water glass except whatever drink you like for FREE – such a deal !).
I’m not a fast food fan, so their price hikes haven’t really hit me hard. We don’t eat out much, anyway, since we’re far better cooks. But let’s not talk about our grocery bills…
When we’re on the road, I look for local eateries and take a little time out of the drive to enjoy a sit down meal. Makes me happy, supports the locals, and gives my back and legs a break. Does that mean we’ll arrive later than expected? Yeah, but we’ll have been fed better and most likely cheaper or better value for the money, so it’s good.
I don’t eat a lot of fast food, unless I’m on a road trip, when I like McDonald’s apple pies – which used to be 2/$2, and on my most recent road trip around the northeast and down to NC/Tenn seemed to hit 2/$2.29. I can live with that increase, even when I order them four at a time, every couple of days….