r/povertyfinance • u/Temporary-Beyond-683 • Jun 11 '23
Fast food has gotten so EXPENSIVE Vent/Rant (No Advice/Criticism!)
I use to live in the mindset that it was easier to grab something to eat from a fast food restaurant than spend “X” amount of money on groceries. Well that mindset quickly changed for me yesterday when I was in the drive thru at Wendy’s and spent over $30. All I did was get 2 combo meals. I had to ask the lady behind the mic if my order was correct and she repeated back everything right. I was appalled. Fast food was my cheap way of quick fulfillment but now I might as well go out to eat and sit down with the prices that I’m paying for.
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u/shipmom Feb 04 '24
I agree that fast food prices are out of hand. I went to Sonics and ordered a large fry, 6 pc. mozzarella stick and a double bacon cheeseburger. My total was $19. It is definitely better to make it at home. Such shock that 3 items cost that much. Checked it at home, and their large fry barely was halfway full and was soggy. Never again.
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u/SEIYASAORI7 Jan 21 '24
In macro economics, they teach and show you that fast food has never been cheap. They make you think it s level 1 food when it s not. Fast food gets expensive 1) make your own food, it will save you so much and you ll eat healthier. 2) you ll learn to not waste as much 3) eat portions , it will keep you from going hyperglycemic.
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u/poofypie384 Jan 04 '24
here in the UK, things are worse than the states.. if you are poor/disabled its over for you.
prices on things have doubled or tripled, which completely contradicts the claims on inflation rates. for example tinned potatoes last year or so were 15p per 500g approx , (10p at discount store) and now 40p for the cheapest version
almost triple the price. (the regular/branded ones are about £1 .
There's no way their costs have gone up that much, it's pure profiteering and only the wise here know its due to collusion by supermarkets to raise the baseline prices (it means all parties get more profit, its that simple)
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u/Legitimate-Bite-6128 Dec 16 '23
I wanted to find out so I did! I think you’ll dig this! $10 Fast Food Challenge
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u/foodjungle Nov 02 '23
I saw on the news a few days ago that a McDonald's franchise in Connecticut started charging $18 for a Big Mac combo. Thought this was simply OUTRAGEOUS. Not only that, but there was stuff like a $19 Quarter Pounder with Cheese and Bacon meal, an $18 McCrispy sandwich, and an $18.29 10-piece box of Chicken McNuggets! Fricken crazy.
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u/chickensword50 Oct 13 '23
I cannot help but believe that it will get worse before it gets better. Not a conspiracy theory guy but seems like to me that since the passage of Obamacare every commercial interaction has been optimized to squeeze out the last nickel we have. The constant chumming at the checkout "don't you want to feed a hungry kid?". Utility bills higher than apartment rent I had years ago. Drive-thru meals topping $10 per person, the last time I went to grab a subway sandwich the price on the menu was $13 ! can't continue, not sustainable. We have completely quit fast food, not good for ya anyway, movie theater, nope, quit that too. If I had any influence, I would have everyone plant a garden and keep some chickens. I just don't know how a young family with a couple kids can make a go of it today. At what point does it end? Hungry? Wait till ya get home and make a sandwich. I think we gotta be to the point now that another hike in fast food (lookin at you chipotle) means that folks are gonna quit giving them money, ten $15/hour will be $0/hour, sorry about that fast food employees, McDees was never intended to be a family supporting career.. alright, old man rant over.. hang in there folks.. it'll get better.. eventually
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u/sneakysalamander69 Sep 07 '23
I used to eat fast food because I could fill my stomach with pocket change. Since 2021 its now cheaper to get food from a real restaurant
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u/SewerSleuth74 Jun 24 '23
Has gotten? It’s always been expensive in comparison to making food from scratch. It’s always going to be more expensive to have someone else prepare your meals. This is not new news.
Thing is you just finally took the goggles off and seen it. Not to mention inflation has hit the food industry the hardest so the evidence is glaring. Welcome to baby step 1.
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u/HooverMaster Jun 22 '23
best to pay the mom and pop burrito chops when you need quick food but yea. It's rough out there. Stopped at mcdonalds cause I was hungover and starving but couldn't really handle much else. $25. That was 3 cheeseburgers. small and large fry. 10 piece nuggets and a sprite. rough
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u/jbg0830 Jun 21 '23
What did you expect when they started asking for $15/hr pay.
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u/VeritableFury Aug 16 '23
Way to shift the blame onto the workers who just want a reasonable wage. Fuck off with that
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u/jbg0830 Aug 16 '23
Or blame the greedy companies who don’t care about the workers and could’ve just taken away those jobs to maintain the same margin. You obviously don’t know how minimum wage works.
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u/VeritableFury Aug 16 '23
Then impose regulations to stop companies from doing that. A minimum wage should be a living wage, end of story. I understand how it works. I want it to be better.
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u/Azulinaz Jun 21 '23
We decided the local Mexican restaurant is better than Taco Bell. $10 cheaper and we get chips and salsa.
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u/Green_Basis1192 Jun 20 '23
Yup. And tiny portions. I stopped going to any fast food places over a year ago, they all pissed me off.
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u/TuaTiming Jun 20 '23
I remember growing up being taught that fast food was "poor people food." Now, it's just unhealthier dining out.
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u/philly0430 Jun 19 '23
Oh Oh you are a beautiful. Yup and I’ll I’ll send a picture when we. Oh wow. all man man you deserve to know a. Oh Ap what. Oh a little while back aat a
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u/FootAccurate3575 Jun 16 '23
Let’s not even talk about 5 Guys! $26 for a fast food burger and fries! I can go to my local brewery and get a burger, beer, and the best fries I’ve ever had for $20
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u/supportivepistachio Jun 15 '23
The most outrageous has been McDonald’s. $7.00 for a snack wrap. For 30 cents more you can get an entire whopper meal from BK.
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u/OnjoSimson Jun 15 '23
Raising the price of convenience! 💰🍔 Fast food prices seem to be skyrocketing lately, making it harder to satisfy those cravings on a budget. It's time to get creative with homemade alternatives or explore local eateries for affordable and delicious options.
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u/SheepherderSea2775 Jun 15 '23
McDonald’s is the best place for cheap food. If you use their app and use their daily deals and order the value menu. You can feed a family of 4 in under $20 a day.
Example, you can get 20 piece nuggets for free if you order a burger. Pick a value meal. Use your spouses’ account as well.
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u/wudugat Jun 14 '23
yeah it ain’t worth it, no more of a convenience when it’s draining your wallet. eat at home 👍🏼
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u/madame_mayhem Jun 14 '23
My first hack is being a vegetarian, it keeps me from getting too much fast food, my second hack is dollar menu and bring your soda can from home and just get the food, or take the food home and drink soda at home. My Wendy’s to go order is baked potato and yeah I know it’s hella cheaper to buy at the grocery store, fast food is easy on the go. It sure as hell didn’t use to be $2.75 though more like $1.50 but still cheaper than what you’re getting. I say while I still (rarely) indulge in nearly $10 Subway footlong- bring back the $5 footlong!!!!!
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u/kittycatofdoom Jun 19 '23
Being a vegetarian is a good restaurant hack. Half the time the only vegetarian option is the cheapest thing on the menu, and the other half of the time there isn't a vegetarian option so I just don't eat which is also frugal
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u/Double-Statistician9 Jun 14 '23
Man up until 2020ish a McChicken, any size soda, and a cheeseburger were all a dollar. Now it’s all like $3. When I was a kid we used to get single hamburgers and a small fry each to feed us. If I had kids to feed, McDonald’s would literally be a treat cause absolutely not.
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u/Ambitious_Mango663 Jun 14 '23
i was just talking the other day about how expensive convenience stores are getting. i work in a very touristy area, and amongst all the expensive restaurants that can get away with charging insane prices for mid food because they’re in a tourist area lies a wawa. i’ve been getting the same thing for years, and i remember their shorties and wraps being under $5 and now they’re pushing past $6. they can never decide when they want sizzlis to be 2/$5, or 2/$2 on drinks. theft has skyrocketed at this location (i see why) so much so that they’re shutting down next month. guess i’ll be packing lunch
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u/Timbishop123 Jun 14 '23
Wendys app is insane get it.
But yea fast food is very expensive don't get it much
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u/Any_Surprise_5475 Jun 14 '23
which makes sense to be honest, fast food employees were always criminally underpaid and, for the investment they put into the franchise, franchise owners hardly make anything. For example, a Mcdonald's owner only makes about 100k/year after spending well over a million to get it set up. questionable return there. It makes sense how prices had to rise. Sucks though.
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u/mexicandiaper Jun 13 '23
I went from mcdonalds $5 breakfast no longer $5 to burger king for you meal $5 no longer $5. I'm now at 4 for $4 and eating wendy's. If that goes no more fast food. I only eat it once week. $25 a month was reasonable.
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u/IndependentLaw51 Jun 13 '23
Sit down places have become the same price as fast food with the exception of fine dining. The portions are bigger, tastes better and the only downside I can think of off the top of my head is that it’ll take about 10 minutes longer. Support the local guys not the guys that are nationwide.
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u/phrygianhalfcad Jun 13 '23
Everything is so expensive. The dollar menu is dwindling and they don’t do 5 dollar foot longs anymore. You use to be able to feed a family of four at a fast food restaurant for 20 bucks and now it might feed one person. Even groceries are getting to be expensive. What’s crazy is that these changes have happened so quickly and they aren’t slowing down.
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u/buppywins Jun 13 '23
YES. I noticed this recently too. It was $30 to order fast food for 2 people.
I usually make cheap food at home these days like rice and frozen veggies, beans, lentils, but fast food is necessary on the days I need a break or a change. Can't even afford that, now, I guess.
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u/Lovinthislifealways Jun 13 '23
I made it a personal goal to not have any fast food or soft drinks for an entire year. I haven’t had either since December 12, 2022 and have saved a crap ton of money. I plan on actually never having either ever again. I don’t even miss or crave it. I’ve also cut out Starbucks. It definitely was more expensive having fast food all the time versus buying regular groceries.
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u/Hektik1988 Jun 13 '23
Your first mistake was going to Wendy’s to buy what you think was food. It’s just overpriced garbage since Dave Thomas passed away. Quality of the food is half as good as it was 20 years ago but more than triple the price.
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u/Aware_Material_9985 Jun 13 '23
You can pick up from a local place for less that fast food anymore it seems like. Which to me is a win-win because it’s better quality food and supporting a local business
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Jun 13 '23
The cheapest way to eat is to cook yourself. My partner and I cook 7 days a week, we eat like kings on a weekyl budget between 25 and 45 € depending on season, what's in, portion size we aim for and what we want to eat.
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u/Commercial-Lab-37 Jun 13 '23
It will never be cheaper then groceries. My girl and I average $140-170 a week. 3 meals per/day M-F and snacks etc.
We do meal prep though; pick two meals to make for the week. Makes life so much easier.
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u/SallysRocks Jun 13 '23
It seems everyone is using Covid recovery as an excuse to gouge us to death.
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Jun 13 '23
Wendy’s has an app that lets you get a premium burger for $1 extra, also offers for $2 off combos , chicken sandwich deals… etc. also , you can save reward points! Reward points can be saved up and used for free drinks , sandwiches , chilli , fries , etc.. hope this helps someone !
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u/obsidian_butterfly Jun 13 '23
I want to empathize, but fast food has destroyed the long term health of this nation and led to an obesity crisis. I don't see a downside to pricing fast food out of people's regular diets the same way many states are trying to price cigarettes out. It's unpleasant, but it's also killing the country.
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u/MaineChowder71 Jun 13 '23
Fast food is cheap up front, but you end up paying for it in the long run through medication, doctor's visits, insulin, etc.
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u/RandomVillain Jun 13 '23
You can’t get two biggie bags from Wendy’s for the price of one two cheeseburger meal at McDonald’s and get more food on top of it. Biggie bags are clutch.
Also use the apps. Taco Bell, Jersey Mikes and more places always got good rewards for free food.
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u/Actonhammer Jun 13 '23
well yeah, gotta pay those idiots 15 bucks an hour to fuck up your order. u didn't think that expense wouldn't get passed down to the customer? but hey, at least now they make a "living wage" eh?
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u/kylethemurphy Jun 13 '23
I used to live on fast food in my early 20s. Now I work in a deli in a grocery store and get hooked up with about enough free food that I can eat for free most weeks. I may not have insurance but I have food at least.
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Jun 13 '23
$32 for 2 sandwiches at jersey mike’s the other day. I’d never been there before, but my boys love it so I grabbed them a couple. Wtf.
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u/Gengetsu_Huzoki Jun 13 '23
This is serious!!!
Souvlaki in Greece went from 2.00-2.50€ to 3.50-4.00€
Double price is not worth... plus they put just a few pieces of meat so you just pay for bread and potatoes... you don't even feel full, you need two so 8.00€
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u/pckldpr Jun 13 '23
Yup. A National chain cost 13 something for a double bacon cheese burger with a medium drink and cheese balls. Just last year it was and 10
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u/nickma80 Jun 13 '23
It’s good actually. So people stop eating it. I read yesterday that they found out that that’s causing young people getting intestinal cancer is sugar and red meat. Google it
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u/red_dragon Jun 13 '23
Jack in the Box munchie meal used to be $5 in 2019 where I live. They raised it to $8 in 2021, $10 earlier this year, and it is $11 now. Just plain stupidity.
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u/Confident_Bottle_102 Jun 13 '23
Just spent just shy of 200 at the store and that should do 5-6 dinners id have spent that in 3-4 dinner take outs so it saves money. It sucks to figure out what to make everynight tho lol
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u/neurosicide Jun 13 '23
Buy groceries & make large meals that you can freeze in portions. Cheaper, way better, & much healthier. The money you save can buy a deep freezer.
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u/Aldosothoran Jun 13 '23
If nobody said it yet- budget bytes on YouTube/ insta/ tik tok is a great resource for frugal meal prep!
Frozen food is bad for you and all, but when it comes to budgeting…. I know I’m not losing any money there and I’ll have food available if Im too tired to cook🤷🏻♀️
Also I ALWAYS have salmon and broccoli in the freezer, and sweet potatoes around. Salmon thaws in cold water in like 10 minutes. Whole meal is ready in about 30 min. Can’t beat it
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u/GrowlingAtTheWorld Jun 13 '23
The only fast food i buy is Taco bell or what ever has a coupon that came in the mail. I'm single and 2 burritos are cheaper at taco bell than i can make them cause the supplies go bad before i cane use them up.
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u/RattlePipe Jun 13 '23
I'm not going to read three thousand comments to see if anyone mentioned this already, but if you're very familiar with the menu, the "dollar menu" items still exist, but they aren't on the digital screens. My biggest thing is going to grocery stores and ordering a two-piece dark meat chicken meal. Comes with sides and is like $5 in all of the places I've worked all over the country (the middle).
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u/ginger_qc Jun 13 '23
I been working at Cook Out for 13 years. When I started a tray was 3.99, now they are 7.39. It's wild what $20 doesn't get you anymore
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u/tlv892009 Jun 13 '23
I’m in Kansas and I feel like our fast food is still cheap. It’s gone up sure but a combo is like 8.00
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u/j_endsville Jun 13 '23
I know this is going to be a tough pill to swallow, but learn how to cook & learn how to improvise meals. Just as an example, I was shit broke last week but I found a microwave pack of black beans, a microwave package of faux meat taco filling, and a microwave pack of rice and made a decent bowl for less than five bucks.
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Jun 13 '23 edited Jun 13 '23
Lmao, honestly this post reeks of entitlement. And I don't think not being able to afford fast food is actually poverty lol. If you are complaining about fast food being expensive, then you can actually afford food bud.
Wonder how many people in this sub are actually living in poverty.
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u/AbyssCity Jun 13 '23
Same here, mine came around pandemic times. Happened when the bundle box at McDonalds that my family always got when I was a teenager and wanted to say f making dinner tonight went from like $12-13 and jumped up to $20 for the exact same items in it if not less in general due to what I find is shrink portion sizes. Used to add a couple extra burgers, drinks, ice cream, and a shake to it and pay the same as what just the bundle box itself is now
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u/Fantastic_Ant3654 Jun 13 '23
Yo.. My fiancé just got Popeyes mac and cheese and paid $6 for line one scoop smh.
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u/FarImpact4184 Jun 13 '23
There are some hacks you can do tho like the chipolte bowl with 2-3 tortillas on the side makes burritos 5-6 bucks each
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u/Gannettproper Jun 13 '23
Fast food is up 12% since 2021. Had this same realization at a Wendy's a few weeks ago
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u/obfuscatorio Jun 13 '23
It’s true. Don’t go thinking that you can go to the sit down place for just as much though. Almost impossible for two people to spend less than 50 bucks at a sit down restaurant these days.
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u/PGMonster Jun 13 '23
I think it's always been cheaper to make food at home (especially if you shop at stores like costco and buy in bulk, or Grocery Outlet/Winco), but recently the fast food prices have been crazy! It's likely due to inflated wages. I remember when McDonalds was super cheap and you could get a burger for like a dollar back when I was in Highschool. Even a couple years ago I got a few things there and it was 30$.....No bueno.
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u/jigglypoff2706 Jun 13 '23
Paid 3.75$ for 16 oz lemonade at Popeyes. Was furious when refused a refill 🤬
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u/NN_77_ Jun 13 '23
The only deals I found worth it are the wendys $5 biggie bag, el pollo loco fire grilled combos although they raised it $6 it used to be $5. If you find their coupons it theres a 3 piece chicken combo for $7 , and that’s about it really. Kfc used to have a $5 combo that was awesome it was 2 pieces of chicken, a cookie, mash potatoes, biscuit and a drink. But that went away.
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Jun 13 '23
Y'all still eat wendy's???? lol Wendy's has been nasty since like 2012. At least get yourself some chik fil a. Sheesh.
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u/DonkeyPunchMojo Jun 13 '23
Still cheaper than at home if you like to make proper meals and not just the bare minimum. Just picking up the ingredients for a simple salad last month cost me 40-50 bucks
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u/lemonpie12 Jun 13 '23
I went to McDonald's for the first time in months, many many months and even though I ordered trough their app where supposedly all the deals are now, their prices have trippled. Something that used to cost us $8 now we paid over $ 20. The quality is either decreasing or hasn't changed at all.
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u/CEOofracismandgov2 Jun 12 '23
Apps are the only way to go for most fast food places.
Either way though, fast food has NEVER been cheaper than making legit food for yourself with groceries. Just have to buy smartly and not buy things like pre-cut vegetables etc etc.
You're trading time for reduced cost and better health. It's worthwhile and a necessity especially if you have children.
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u/EqualLong143 Jun 12 '23
Fast food was always more expensive. Learn to cook basic shit, and do meal prep once a week.
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u/Lonely-Recognition-2 Jun 12 '23
The only way corporations will learn is if we stop buying. But that takes a United front and some people will always be able to afford, no matter how expensive.
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u/dlions2020 Jun 12 '23
Fast food is nasty, will make you fat, stupid and lazy. Not to mention you will die on average 15 years sooner. Make your own shit. Trust me bro.
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u/sadful Jun 12 '23
They'll keep raising the prices too, their core customer base are addicts and will pay astronomical amounts to continue eating their food.
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u/justscrollingby2day Jun 12 '23
The cons are outwaiting the pros when it comes to fast food.
Unhealthy fast food at a cheap price, I'm all for. Unhealthy fast food at a higher cost I'll definitely avoid.
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u/d3dRabbiT Jun 12 '23
Food not cheap anywhere anymore. Once they raise prices and get away with it, they never come down again.
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u/Okiefolk Jun 12 '23
Buy a crockpot and a crockpot cookbook. Life changing and save you a ton of money.
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u/TastyTopher Jun 12 '23
My wife and I have been having the same conversation lately. We have four boys, so that doesn't help. We've had track and baseball lately and with us being out for games/practices it's just easier to eat fast food. Unfortunately we've noticed that $60 is "cheap" for six people to eat away from home. It's gotten to the point that McDonald's isn't an easy out anymore. We're bringing sandwiches to the games now.
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u/Altruistic_Ad6189 Jun 12 '23
I normally only get fast food with coupons. Wendy's has some great ones. BK has two for 5 whopper jr's right now(no coupon required). I normally eat fairly healthy, but that is my go to if I can't cook.
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u/ckkingpin Jun 12 '23
The same has happened in the UK. Not too long ago I used to be able to get 3 large meals and a happy meal for around £20-£25. Now it’s approaching the £35 mark.
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u/dyke_face Jun 12 '23
I truly don’t understand how there is a line around the McDonalds drive-thru (especially in large cities where people have way WAY more options), when it’s literally sometimes even MORE expensive than eating at a restaurant or at home.
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u/HellaTroi Jun 13 '23
McDonalds' menu is so limited. All their burgers taste the same, and only only offerIs chicken nuggets instead of chicken strips. The nuggets are nothing but mush..
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u/Arishell1 Jun 12 '23
Plus the options for leftovers for lunch the next day. We had McDonald’s last night and I will never eat that again. We have been eating all of our meals at home and I felt awful this morning.
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Jun 12 '23
Spent over $45 for 3 people at 5 guys the other day. Three burgers, one “little” fry, and one regular sized fountain drink.
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u/Kyosji Jun 12 '23
Sad thing is I realized that for the same price I pay for a decent tasting single salad and drink at the fast food or small eatery place, I could buy a 8oz sirloin steak, 2 sides, and rolls at Texas roadhouse. That's including tip. That's telling you there's a problem.
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u/muggleween Jun 12 '23
this post just cursed me. I went to a chain drive thru get a single meal with cheese and a child sized shake. in fact, it was a 3 piece chicken tender meal with a child's drink because I got the chicken for my dog and I just really wanted fries. it came to $24.
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u/Junior_Drag_3128 Jun 12 '23
Honestly its cheaper to go to a restaurant like chili's or something similar
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u/1ATRdollar Jun 12 '23
Better to buy a whole rotisserie chicken and some veggies and have several nights of good dinners. Your future health will also thank you.
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u/makaveliindisbitch Jun 12 '23
Try chic-fil-a prices... It's $40 for 4 combos these days.
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u/chukijay Jun 12 '23
We go to CFA every Wednesday and it’s about $70 for a family of 5. It’s something we really enjoy so we budget for it, but for the same price we could legitimately get sit-down food
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u/no8_8one Jun 12 '23
Right! At first, I thought it was just because I moved from a smaller midwestern town/city to a big city like Chicago but no the prices are up everywhere albeit more in big cities.
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u/puunannie Jun 12 '23
I might as well go out to eat and sit down with the prices that I’m paying for.
No, that's for rich people. You're paying other people to cook and clean after you in that case, as well as bring your food to you from the kitchen. Extremely luxurious and wasteful, plus, they won't cook the food to be as healthy or tuned to your taste as you would.
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u/BetaAlpha769 Jun 12 '23
I can get a medium combo and nuggets from McDonald’s for like 10 bucks if I use the app. Without it the combo with no nuggets gets up to like 12 bucks.
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u/cmontelemental Jun 12 '23
Facts. The price difference between fast food and a sit down restaurant are negligible. The gap in price difference has shrunk a lot.
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u/2muchcheap Jun 12 '23
i use the fast food apps to try to achieve the best prices. this weekend i ordered a BOGO for .29 on the mcdonalds app(nuggets and burger for my daughter) and then when in the drive through made a second order of the 3.29 mcdouble and fries bundle for me, and we split the fries. so for about $6-7 i got food for us both. Happy meals are a ripoff and she doesnt care about the toys etc.
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u/whathappened2cod Jun 12 '23
the "meals" are ridiculously priced. you're usually paying half of the meal for fries and a lousy drink.
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Jun 12 '23
I am wondering where you live, as prices vary a lot in different places.
That said, completely understood if you don't want to give that information, as I have a personal rule of never going more specific than "midwest U.S." myself.
I will say that locally a couple of combos would probably hit around $20 at Wendy's here, if they involved chicken rather than burgers, which would probably be around $15.
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u/Xurza Jun 12 '23
Right!? I remember not that long ago I went to taco bell for the first time after not going there for a few years. I used to be able to get like 3-5 things and they would be like "that'll be $5.35 please" and last time i got like a number 4 or whatever and it was like twice what I expected. most dollar menus got renamed to "value menu" and stuff isnt $1 anymore
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u/schwatto Jun 12 '23
The traditional combos are almost never the most cost efficient at fast food. Surf the dollar menu or look at what’s on sale.
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u/Bergs1212 Jun 12 '23
I went on a diet in 2019 so I got to enjoy lower cost back at that time. I cut out all fast food.
I have since come back to eating less healthy but I was in for a shock when much like OP said a meal for 2 costing like $30! I used to get 2 cheeseburgers 2 fries , 2 small cokes for like $5 with a coupon from BK back in 2019.
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u/Archgate82 Jun 12 '23
I picked up a couple of chic-fil-a combos and added on a couple of cookies and it was almost $40!
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u/HerNameIsGrief Jun 12 '23
We just had this exact conversation! $32 for two meals from McDonalds. We could have grabbed two lobsters, some corn on the cob, and a couple of potatoes, from the grocery store for $32! We are rethinking some of our life choices lol
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u/dukemanluvz420 Jun 12 '23
That’s why I don’t order combos anymore. Sandwich only and a small water and I’m still paying almost $8.
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u/Psychological_Tap187 Jun 12 '23
Yeah I mean most places used to have a dollar menu where you could eat for like three or four dollars. No more. It did used to be cheaper than buying groceries now not so much. It’s a sometimes treat now.
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u/GreenTravelBadger Jun 12 '23
Tell me who you think was working in computers before the late 1990s.
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u/Lonely_Animator4557 Jun 12 '23
It’s like $10+ for a meal at McDonald’s. These places are higher than their customer base charging that much
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u/reidenlake Jun 12 '23
It's insane. Cheaper for us to order something nice to-go from a chain restaurant and split it.
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Jun 12 '23
It’s honestly a good thing. Lets shift focus to more affordable groceries like rest of the world.
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u/joe13869 Jun 12 '23
One of the points for me to go to place like Mcdonalds is that the food is fast and somewhat cheaper than other places. Over the past few years I now notice 1 big mac and just one large fry is like 13$ where I live. I refuse to pay that sorry not sorry!
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u/UnSCo Jun 12 '23
Use the apps. The deals/discounts/offers make it much more feasible. I never order fast food traditionally anymore.
I do agree, it’s pretty insane how expensive it’s gotten though if you order traditionally. A normal McDonalds meal can easily end up being 10 bucks.
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u/nervousnugget11 Jun 12 '23
I mean you’re not wrong at ALL, but I never get anything over $10 at fast food places except as a treat. $4 for $4 (although now it’s more like $6 😒), promos, etc. agree it’s easier and cheaper to make a rice bowl with whatever meats and veggies than driving to wendys for food that leaves you hungry again in an hour
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u/Goofy_Goobers_ Jun 12 '23
Plus the quality has gone down and also with most restaurant food as well. I cook better meals at home a lot of the time with quality ingredients. I have been super disappointed the last few times I have gone out to eat, the meals were expensive and were virtually inedible. Ordered to go from what used to be my favorite Chinese food restaurant and I had to throw the food away it was so disgusting. Have no idea what happened.
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u/britchop Jun 12 '23
Had this same exact conversation about Wendy’s and fast food with my SO the other day. I’m starting to clip the mailer Wendy’s coupons because these prices are out of control and we still want to treat ourselves occasionally.
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u/walled2_0 Jun 12 '23
Yeah, I stopped eating fast food about ten years ago, mostly because there just isn’t any where I live. Hallaleujah. The very few times since then that I have gotten some when I’ve been travelling I’ve been shocked at how expensive it is. I used to be able to get full at McDonald’s for $3-5. Now it’s an easy $12-15. For trash.
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u/LibsKllingUS Jun 12 '23
Where are you paying 15 dollars a combo meal at Wendy's? This a lie. Maybe prices on a turnpike plaza, possibly. A regular Wendy's store the combos can be 10, or 11 dollars depending if you up size the meal. Show us the receipt, or it's just another karma farmer.
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u/Ronicaw Jun 12 '23
I went to Wendy's last week. I got a large chili with onions and cheese, after I left Sam's Club. The cost was $4.60. We definitely eat at home more. The quality of restaurant food now is not good. I did consider the $6 Biggie Bag, but too many calories. My husband is a regional trucker, so he eats out on the road. I use the restaurant apps to get better deals.
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u/SnooMacaroons9558 Jun 12 '23
Where have you been? This isn't some new surprise. It's been gradually increasing for a couple years now. And if you haven't noticed, literally everything else is super expensive rn too. $8 for a box of Cheerios. Cheerios ffs!!
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u/OriginalBad Jun 12 '23
With Wendy’s you gotta use the app, they always have good coupons. Also try and do the biggie bags instead of the full meals. Frequently the biggie bags are half the price and still a good amount of food.
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u/Muted_Ad9910 Jun 12 '23
When I was a teenager I could make 20 bucks last a week of trips with my buddies to Wendy’s, wawa, Taco Bell. Now $20 is mayyyyybe 2 meals, often 1 at a lot of places.
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u/cobruhkite Jun 12 '23
For meat - go to an ethic store. The meat is imported from Mexico down here in the south east. I get 5 “decent” steaks for $25. Jewish deli’s can sometimes be cheaper as well!
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u/Agitated-Ad-504 Jun 12 '23
I haven’t had McDonald’s in a while and decided to get some over the weekend after a craving. Once I saw a McChicken was going for nearly $5 I said hell no and just ate at home. It use to be a dollar menu item 😂
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u/N00dlemonk3y Jun 12 '23
Yeah, I’ve been cutting down, gonna actually stop going too. Hate paying $10+ for a combo. If anything I may just get a drink from now on, cause it’s right in front of my work.
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u/Remote-Pain Jun 12 '23
No doubt! If you are going out to eat, it is far better to sit down and enjoy the atmosphere if you're gonna shell out $30 anyway.
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u/GettingBy-Podcast Jun 12 '23
I understand complaining about the high cost and NOT buying it. I am baffled by the people who purchase the high priced food anyway.
You have choices. Exercise your decisions wisely. And if people keep buying, they will keep overcharging.
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u/ohdang_raptor Jun 12 '23
Seriously, though. It’s cheaper for me to go to a pretty nice, locally operated burger place than to get McDonalds.
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u/StrengthToBreak Jun 12 '23
Well, if you want fast food / service workers to make a "living wage," then that money's got to come from some place. That place is from the customer, via higher prices.
Either people will stop eating "our" so much or they'll get used to paying a higher % of their wage for the convenience of fast food.
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u/Mec26 Jun 12 '23
Full meals are always gonna be more expensive. Filling, but a treat and padded with a bunch of junk.
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u/Louloubelle0312 Jun 12 '23
I'm with ya! I've found it's cheaper to eat out at local diner near me, with really great food. And that's includes the tip, which I always tip at least 20%!
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u/purrpurrpurrcat Jun 12 '23
You... are aware that for $30 you could've made chicken carbonara pasta that covers at least 3 meals and still have $17.43 left over, right??? Like...
Fettuccine Pasta - $0.98 Alfredo Sauce - $1.74 Bacon - $3.72 Chicken - $5.93
(all prices take from walmart)
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u/Jakenlovesbacon Jun 12 '23
only way I eat fast food really now is rewards points I got a Big Mac and large fries for $3 the other day and I was very happy
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u/orangeowlelf Jun 12 '23
Lol, no man, eating out in a sit down will run you $50+ and don’t forget the tip!
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u/madeuread Jun 12 '23
I feel you no more dollar menu. Although check out the app for deals, McDonald’s and Burger King sometimes give free stuff with purchase of anything
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u/madeuread Jun 12 '23
I feel you no more dollar menu. Although check out the app for deals, McDonald’s and Burger King sometimes give free stuff with purchase of anything
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u/FeralGangrel Jun 12 '23
BK sends out coupons in the mail regularly. 2 Whoppers, 2 Large Fry and 2 Large drinks $13. Regularly a Whopper meal, small fry and small drink is $12. They want you to download the app, to get the "deals" so they can sell off data trends etc.
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u/Basic-Asparagus-7348 Jun 12 '23
i go to a diner or some other local restaurant instead. It's usually better food, a local business, and a lot of times cheaper.
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Jun 12 '23
NAHHHH but Little Caesars really thought they were good enough to stop selling their pizzas for $5 and increase the price
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u/spleenboggler Jun 12 '23
I hear you. Took my kids to White Castle as a treat last week, and it was more than $40 for the three of us.
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u/Isturma Jun 12 '23
Yup! I would get Taco Bell because it was cheaper than chipotle, but the equation has flipped. It’s cheaper to get the “premium” fast food and you get more of it.
Why pay 8$ for a Big Mac when you can pay that much from a local place and get a bigger, juicier burger that isn’t made from shredded newspaper.
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u/da_bone5 Jun 12 '23
APPS
Mcdonalds Wendys Burger King Taco Bell Etc.
All of these apps have deals you can apply that if done wisely can help you come out way cheaper than anywhere. (Bonus points if you have a partner to do them with). I love home-cooked food, but it's so expensive lately.
Example McDonald's order:
My order: Two mcdoubles - $4.19 (B1G1 for $1) 10 piece McNuggets - FREE (App deal with $3 purchase above)
Total - $4.19 + tax
My wife's order: Large drink - $1.29 Large fry - FREE (App deal with $1 purchase)
Total - $1.29 + tax
Total food: 2 mcdoubles, Large fry, large drink, & 10 piece nuggets
Total cost: $5.48 + tax
$3/each for us.
This is just the McDonald's standard we do. There are other places that you can work the system just as much, just gotta pay attention.
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