Whatever happened to cheap fast food items?

[bcla]

I remember the Dollar Menu at McDonald's. My summers used to be spent eating off the 99 cent menu at Wendy's. I might get two of the small chili for that price.

However, what I'm thinking of is taking advantage of some of the mobile app coupons. Burger King still has the weekly free fries (up to large) with any purchase. And a purchase can be as little as a penny, although I typically order a small soft serve cone which is 92 cents at my closest location. I do see a lot of vastly different pricing though. Mozzerella sticks are now about $4 for 4 pieces when I remember that used to be maybe $1.39. But other locations it's still less than $2.

I'm looking to maybe have some special that requires a $1 minimum spend. McDonald's does that every Friday for free medium fries around here, but I can't really find anything for that $1. Not beverages any more and certainly no actual dollar menu now. What I'm seeing at Burger King (where I have one breakfast item coupon now that requires a $1 spend) I don't see much less than $2 now. Maybe 2 cookies for $1 but I'm not sure they'll sell that at breakfast time. If I want to hit exactly $1 I think they technically can sell sauce tubs for 25 cents each, although they're typically just free for the asking.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Dollar menu is still alive on this end.
One of my home attendants gets lunch from Mickey D’s 6 days a week. She hasn’t started to glow yet so that’s a blessing…

 

[DodgerGirl]

When it comes to restaurants especially fast food restaurants fast food restaurants have indeed adopted pricey menus. When I eat at fast food restaurants I have noticed this a lot and I can't figure out why this habit has begun in fast food restaurants today? Take for example it used to be that Taco Bell was the cheapest fast food restaurant because you could get good deals on their tacos and their burritos but if you go to Taco Bell today you'll notice that the prices on their tacos and burritos has gotten expensive but it seems that if you want to get a good deal at Taco Bell you'll have to find a special on their tacos and burritos if you want to eat at Taco Bell. Another restaurant that does this is Jack In The Box and it seems that you can get good deals at Jack In The Box if there is a special going on. Because it used to be that Jack In The Box was a cheap place to get a hamburger but I think if you can go to Jack In The Box without a coupon to order a hamburger it can get pricey. But when you get the general picture I think the most priciest food to order at fast food restaurants is breakfast and it seems to me that breakfast has the most pricey items at fast food restaurants. Take for example Burger King always promotes their Buy 1 Get 1 Free and 2 For 2 specials on their breakfast items and the cheapest items are their french toast sticks and the priciest breakfast item is their breakfast burritos. And if you want to get a deal on Whoppers or Whopper Jr's it's best to shop around for deals for Burger King to get the best specials. McDonald's is the same way when you want an Egg McMuffin and if you have the McDonald's app or look for a special on breakfast it is rare to find and when my mom gets McDonald's breakfast occasionally she gets coupons especially when you want to buy a Egg McMuffin and their Hotcakes and Sausage platter it can save you a buck on breakfast. But I think as time goes on this trend will keep continuing in fast food restaurants

 

[jerrywilliams]

Fast food doesn't mean cheap food anymore. Sometimes it is cheaper to eat a proper healthy meal in the restaurant than order a menu if a fastfood cafe

 

[wabbott]

I don't do our grocery shopping, but I do scan the weekly sale flyers, and I notice that beef is still quite historically high in price. Bacon has moderated some, but sausage is still a bit high. Food costs have to be a major component of fast food, and labor almost never declines in cost, except where automation can be used.

 

[sam_gordon]

Once again, prices go up BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL PAY. If sales dropped off, the prices will go down. Its really that simple.

Increasing supply and workforce costs simply determine how much you need to sell an item for to make a profit. If you don't at least cover your costs, you drop the item, or use it as a "loss leader" to get customers to buy other, more expensive items.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Fast food ≠ cheap

At least in my area it's less expensive to go to smaller, family owned take out-like places than go to McDonald's or Burger King.

 

[Travel60]

Labor costs (across the supply chain) have gone up. People argue for paying a sustainable wage (and I totally agree) but people don't seem to realize that prices will go up. If we used to pay someone $8/ hour to make 100 widgets, that's 12.5¢ per widget labor. If we now pay them $16/hour to make 100 widgets, that's 25¢ per widget labor. That more expensive widget goes to the next step in the supply chain as a more expensive input and labor at that step is also higher. And so on.
And then we scream "INFLATION" as if it is a surprise. Come on folks, take an Econ 101 class!

 

[Disneylover99]

The best I can do is 2 Whopper Juniors for $5, when I get a coupon.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We rarely go to McDonald's. A cheeseburger and small fries is over $5 no thanks.

Our local Market Kitchen (in Market Basket grocery store) in NH has a cheeseburger and fries for $2.99. They make it to order with your choice of cheese and any/all condiments/vegies and it is a 1/4 lb. When they don't have enough fries you can get potato wedges or sometimes sweet potato wedges. They have given us onion rings a few times.

They also bake fresh and huge pizzas. You can get 1/4 pizza (they call it a "slice" LOL) for $2.99 for cheese and up for extra toppings.

It is delicious and you can't beat the price and we are supporting a local business.

 

[Babs Johnson]

There seems to people wasting $20 of their time to save $3 on fast food.

 

[focusondisney]

In NY state at least, the minimum wage for fast food is up to $15/ hour. In some areas/ states, it’s $16-20 an hour. When companies had problems getting workers during the pandemic, they offered even more than that minimum wage. When you’re paying employees more than double what they earned less than 10 years ago, of course you need to increase prices.

 

[tony67]

Labor costs (across the supply chain) have gone up. People argue for paying a sustainable wage (and I totally agree) but people don't seem to realize that prices will go up. If we used to pay someone $8/ hour to make 100 widgets, that's 12.5¢ per widget labor. If we now pay them $16/hour to make 100 widgets, that's 25¢ per widget labor. That more expensive widget goes to the next step in the supply chain as a more expensive input and labor at that step is also higher. And so on.
And then we scream "INFLATION" as if it is a surprise. Come on folks, take an Econ 101 class!

The other side of this that people don't think about is just because minimum wage goes up does not mean all wages go up. I know several folks that have run into this, so everything costs more and they are not making all that much more than someone in a minimum wage job and they have gotten little to no raises the last few years.

Depending on the minimum wage job they may even get a free meal every day and some of the tips - so they can come out ahead and maybe have no stress (or a least a different type of stress).

Even worse - you are in the same minimum wage job for several years and the only raise you get is the minimum wage increases and new folks come in at minimum wage - same as someone who has been there for years.

 

[hertamaniac]

I used to get a sausage biscuit at BK for $1 each a few years ago. I know they are at least double that now.

I rarely eat fast food, but will look at the coupons that come in the mail. Wendy's has a buy one single, get one free. And the $1 off the salad is typical even though has been around when the salads were something like $5.99/ea. I think they hover closer to $9 now.

 

[tony67]

In NY state at least, the minimum wage for fast food is up to $15/ hour. In some areas/ states, it’s $16-20 an hour. When companies had problems getting workers during the pandemic, they offered even more than that minimum wage. When you’re paying employees more than double what they earned less than 10 years ago, of course you need to increase prices.

Prices have gone up drastically in a couple of years, not 10, IMO


As for the topic of this thread, there are better options as others have pointed out, like Market Basket grocery store.
Also local pubs also have deals on some night, like a beer and a burger for $9 or $10 - so also something to look for- and its a real burger not what you get at McD's.

 

[focusondisney]

Prices have gone up drastically in a couple of years, not 10, IMO

NY state started increasing the fast food minimum wage in mid 20teens & hit $15/ hour in 2021. We know the pandemic shortages caused prices of everything to go up. That included everything from food supplies to paper products to packing materials to gas to transport their raw materials. Chicken prices were effected by the avian flu issues. Beef & chicken prices are still higher than they were in early 2020. Add in the increased salaries for employees, of course companies can’t keep their prices the same as they were in 2015. I don’t know why anyone is surprised by that.

 

[BrianL]

I think the issue is that hte base prices are significantly higher, however they have deals and such on the apps. They want to drive people to use the apps, and they use ever changing deals to keep you checking them. It's annoying. I tend to prefer the fast-casual type places because these days McDonald's costs about the same, but you get much better food at the fast-casual places.

 

[jimmymc]

Contrary to what a lot of people think, labor and food costs aren't the main reason prices are going up. They're going up because people will pay, and businesses want to maximize profits. And fast food restaurants have all seen huge spikes in income and profit since 2020. People wanted to get food but couldn't go out, so fast food became the best option. Companies raised prices because people weren't spending money on other things and would pay it. Now regular customers are used to paying more and keep doing so. In short, demand is up, so restaurants will charge more.

 

[sam_gordon]

Labor costs (across the supply chain) have gone up. People argue for paying a sustainable wage (and I totally agree) but people don't seem to realize that prices will go up. If we used to pay someone $8/ hour to make 100 widgets, that's 12.5¢ per widget labor. If we now pay them $16/hour to make 100 widgets, that's 25¢ per widget labor. That more expensive widget goes to the next step in the supply chain as a more expensive input and labor at that step is also higher. And so on.
And then we scream "INFLATION" as if it is a surprise. Come on folks, take an Econ 101 class!

But if people are only willing to pay 15 or 20 cents per widget, that's all you can sell it for. Doesn't matter what it costs to make.

 

[TippyThomas]

The only time I really do fast food is when I am moving to another campground during camp season. Yes, I do eat at diner type restaurants at home but I avoid fast food unless it's really the only viable option. I've noticed that the fast food is actually more expensive than the diner meals I get. I guess it's the 'fast' part that everyone is paying a premium for now?