The eye-watering price of fast food

StarSong

StarSong

Awkward is my Superpower
Location
Los Angeles Suburbs
I'm endlessly surprised at how many people claim to be struggling financially but still eat fast food - even ordering it via delivery - considering how much more it costs than preparing food at home.

It seems every town features a Starbucks on every third corner (with lines of cars wasting precious gas while idling in drive-through lines). Subways, McDs, Burger Kings, Dominos, KFCs, Wendys, Taco Bells and the like continue sprouting like weeds.

I live not far from a Dairy Queen clone and my two older grands like their food, so when they were here last weekend we bought them lunch from there. DH drove over to fetch it, so no delivery charges. I made myself a salad at home and DH doesn't generally eat lunch so he also declined to order.

The kids each had burger type things and a shake. The four of us shared two orders of fries and one order of onion rings. The price? An astounding $50.68. Note, this sole proprietorship isn't required to pay employees California's much ballyhooed $20/hour fast food minimum wage. (The wage that large chains are whining about as their franchisees, owners and executives roll in the dough, I might add.)

Yes, DH & I can easily afford to pay $50 for their lunch and we only patronize them once every couple of months, so I'm not really complaining. It was just so startling to see that hefty amount appear on the CC bill. DH & I don't eat fast food, so maybe I'm just out of touch.

Am I the only one shocked at the extraordinary popularity of fast food, especially among people who cry about being unable to pay their bills?
I could feed 4 people healthy food for at least 3 days on that $50 without breaking a sweat.
 

Fast food or restaurant, it is just so out of hand. Son took me the other day for lunch at Red Lobster. I did not see the ticket but I did see they have changed everything. Portion sizes are much smaller and you know longer get a salad or coleslaw with the meal, it is extra. Needless to say, I will not go back again. I had not been in about 5 years but prior to that was a regular.

I guess they are forgetting I can make a nice seafood meal at home for much less. They must be really feeling the backlash. This was a Saturday afternoon, normally packed. There were maybe 10 tables being used.
 
People might cry about the cost of fast food, but they are still willing to pay the exorbitant price because they're too lazy to cook their own food. It's very expensive instant gratification that tastes mediocre at best, but they don't care because it's fast and easy. They'll cry about the price but stuff their faces at the same time.

Then there are those who complain about not being able to turn up the heat but buy something new almost every day. The amount of “stuff” they buy is mind-numbing. Explain that to me.
 
I used to frequent my local Pub.

A basket of fried zucchini sticks and a pint of beer were my go-to menu orders. Now the zucchini is $14.99 and the glass of ale is $9.20. That's over $24.00 plus a gratuity and I'm looking at close to 30 bucks for this simple fare.

I rarely go there now. The prices are just too out of whack with reality.
 
We eat fast food very often, because I can't be on my feet for more than a couple of minutes. I always claim my back hates me, fact is though it causes so much pain. Once in a while I can prepare a meal in the microwave, and DH realizes that is so painful to me. He doesn't want me to do anything. Then our son has moved in with us so that he can help us and he cooks for us once or twice a week. We enjoy his home cooked meals! We feel so lucky because he cares enough to want to help us.
 
If these fast food places want to charge ridiculous prices, they won't get any of our business. We sometimes get a "Senior Coffee" at McD...for 79 cents, and it tastes better than a $3+ cup at Starbucks. We have a couple of restaurants in our area that have senior menus at a reasonable price, so we stop there once every couple of weeks.
 
Welcome to the new world of massive wage gaps across societies and Wall Street with real estate corporations preying on the rest of us because they can without any constraints, with many greedy to the core. I will predict there will be massive restaurants failings in the coming few years.

Here in California, the ridiculous increase in general inflation plus legislative actions like the minimum $20 fast food restaurant wage, are already showing as news stories about restaurants closing or in a panic trying to survive. Today read another news story of how PG&E increasing electrical power costs are also primary factors. Of course, much of that was due to all the massive wildfires earlier this decade that destroyed thousands of homes and businesses and subsequently have greatly jacked up insurance rates they are passing on to consumers. Plus news today of more California insurance companies cancelling all home insurance policies, leaving the state that also affects small businesses like restaurants.

So why are so many people still visiting fast food and other restaurants? Because of habit with the pleasures of eating still making decisions. This person that is often on the road, spends most of his food money at supermarkets.
 
StarSong said:
Am I the only one shocked at the extraordinary popularity of fast food, especially among people who cry about being unable to pay their bills?
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No, I see the long lineups and full parking lots. Travelling, we had to eat lunch somewhere one day and it needed to be quick. The number of Skip the Dishes drivers picking up McDonald‘s meals shocks me. I have enough trouble eating this FF; the thought of it being semi-warm is worse.

The next day we went to a unique market place with homemade food. The price was about the same, except for the donut that DH decided needed to be eaten by him. We get a glass of tap water to drink. Healthier and a glass of pop is only semi consumed.
 
StarSong said:
I'm endlessly surprised at how many people claim to be struggling financially but still eat fast food - even ordering it via delivery - considering how much more it costs than preparing food at home.
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My guess would be that people who are struggling financially would pick their fast food restaurant carefully and order carefully.

As of March 2023, the most expensive Big Mac in the country was in Hawaii and cost $5.31. You could probably cut that in half for two people if they're not starving. And maybe they wouldn't get the extras if they were really squeezed for funds. That's not bad for one meal. Or they could get a less costly sandwich and get one or two extras.

As for delivery, depending on how much transportation cost in their area, it might be more economical for them to have it delivered than to get an Uber.

Big Mac prices are up: Here's how much you'll pay for McDonald's signature sandwich state by state

Personally, I haven't eaten fast food for years because it does take time and planning. But I can see how some people have worked it into their budget.
 
I had a Bacon Cheese Burger and Frys from the local DQ as a last meal of sorts, they don't put prices on their online menu that should have been tip #1. I was expecting maybe seven bucks, it was thirteen something and the fries were cold and chewed like old shoe leather. A couple of months ago I was going to order a pizza from the local Hut, but to get a small pizza delivered less than 1/2 mile away plus driver tip was going to cost over 35.00 I closed the laptop and threw a frozen dinner in the microwave.
 
StarSong said:
The kids each had burger type things and a shake. The four of us shared two orders of fries and one order of onion rings. The price? An astounding $50.68.
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Whoa, that *is* a lot! On the other side of it, we took some McD's goodies to family to visit yesterday and I thought the price was high, but after seeing your total, I guess not! :giggle: It was 2 Filet-O-Fish, 4 regular hamburgers, 2 McChicken sandwiches, a 6 pc. McNuggets, and a large caramel hot mocha and that total was $28.01.
 
Jules said:
The next day we went to a unique market place with homemade food. The price was about the same, except for the donut that DH decided needed to be eaten by him. We get a glass of tap water to drink. Healthier and a glass of pop is only semi consumed.
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Like you, unless it's breakfast time (coffee) I virtually always drink tap water when dining out. Or in, for that matter.
 
Ideally this should create opportunities amidst the chaos.

I'm imagining something like a local business offering drive-through service only with some extra parking for travelers to pause, and adequate trash receptacles. A short menu of attractive healthful for what it is items requiring little customization. There should be plenty of room for distinctive menu themes in addition to the cost-consciousness addressed through simplicity.

Simple egg-and-cheese sandwiches and basic fresh fruit and a coffee or even water seems like a viable breakfast menu. Adding a slightly broader menu with maybe oatmeal porridge and a bacon-tomato sandwich could even be accommodated and still keep the kitchen modest, turnaround quick, and prices tolerable. Ok, am I naïve?

I could dream up short menus for afternoon/evenings as well. Chicken fried rice and crudités, along with a good dollop of unsweetened applesauce?

Other things impact this, like requirements to provide restroom facilities. Perhaps that's a reason why "food truck" operations are becoming more common? I guess they also skirt the high cost of real estate in trafficked areas too.

But there seems to be a maze of zoning and other regulation that's been rigged to favor the large chain operations.
 
Some fast food places allows the tipping of employees & other don't. I've noticed on the CC machine (some have it & some don't) where they have a spot for giving tips that those have increased. It had been 15%, 18%, 20%, custom % or none. Now I've noticed some are starting at 18% or 20%. The top tip prices have been at 25% & 30%.
 
Jules said:
Just checked a delivery service. A Big Mac meal (med fries and soda) is $15 + 5% tax and there has to be a tip, if you expect to get delivery again. Round that price up to $20. A Big Mac isn’t very big anymore, so not much to share with anyone else.
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I can buy healthy groceries for several meals for that same $20. Probably not meat, mind you, but the amount of meat on a Big Mac is laughable anyway: two 1.6 oz patties - so 3.2 oz total, before cooking. After cooking they clock in at approx 2 oz.
 


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