Very Unhappy Meals: Fast Food Chains with the Steepest Price Increases

Fast food prices at popular chains like McDonald's and Taco Bell have surged due to inflation, labor shortages, and other factors, leaving consumers frustrated.

Inflation and Labor Shortages Drive Fast Food Prices Skyward, Doubling Costs at Major Chains

Fast cuisine has traditionally been associated with consumers. Franchises such as McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, and others would expeditiously deliver delectable, nutritionally questionable dishes for a few dollars. According to Mental Floss, this equation, however, has yet to be rendered obsolete by a confluence of factors, including inflation, employee scarcities, and potentially corporate avarice. The grease cloth on your passenger seat will cost you at least $20.

A decade ago, the financial advice website FinanceBuzz compiled data from 2014 to determine the extent to which fast food center prices have risen. Certain restaurant chains charge twice as much for an equivalent quantity of meals.

Menu items at The Golden Arches experienced the most substantial price increase of the decade, increasing by an average of 100 percent, equivalent to three times the national inflation rate during the same period. A previously $1.59 order of medium potatoes now costs $3.79. The price per 10-piece Chicken McNuggets order increased from $5.99 to $10.99. The only soft drink to outpace inflation was a medium-sized one, which rose from $1.29 to $1.61.

Photo by Mental Floss

Taco Bell Prices Double, Starbucks and Subway See Significant Hikes Amid Inflation and Consumer Discontent

Taco Bell, a longtime provider of tacos that can be purchased with spare change from the center console, also performed unfavorably, experiencing an 81% decline. The cost of their Cheesy Gordita Crunch increased by twofold, from $2.49 to $4.99.

FinanceBuzz also discovered that Starbucks and Subway experienced increases of 39 percent each, comparable to the inflation rate. However, consumers may still experience sticker shock, contingent upon the menu item: As of 2014, a footlong Subway club cost $7. Now, it costs $9.99.

Local fast-food restaurants may have prices different from those of their franchised counterparts. Franchisees frequently own and operate these restaurants at the regional level and have the authority to determine their prices.

It is yet to be seen how these astronomical price increases will affect customer loyalty, but the immediate outlook is bleak. Many individuals have voiced their discontent on social media platforms regarding the exorbitant cost of an option designed to save money. Or, as Kevin Roberts, a consumer, told CBS News, "The whole conceit was that you were getting some OK-level of food for a low price and you could get it quick. Now I can't justify the expense. If I'm paying $15 for a burger and [fries] and drink and it's McDonald's quality, forget about it—I'm going home."

Photo: Microsoft Bing