Economy McDonald's' prices have doubled in 10 years

[Chad R. Thundercock]

if your arguement is that all capitalism is greed, then fine. but then it makes no sense to specifically target mcdonalds. all businesses are guilty of attempting to maximize profit.

the op is not actually upset about corporate greed. theyre upset their burger is expensive.

What part of the original post indicates that I was upset about their price hike? Don't twist my words here. I hardly eat at McDonald's. I'm just presenting the facts and asking a question about their business model.

 

[Fedor>Cain]

Anybody been to a 5 guys recently?

Their price will make you want to ram your head through a wall.

 

[moreorless87]

From a UK perspective I'd argue what we've seen from most of the fast food chains is much increased exploitation of a captive market. They do still play to the value market somewhat offering a cheap snacky menu but the price of actual meals is really exploiting the convenience, having a certain location and food on offer quickly plus with McDonalds espeically perhaps kids dragging parents there upping their prices massively.

Honestly can't remember the last time I ordered a "meal" from a fast food chain, must be pre covid.

 

[Poon Goon]

Anybody been to a 5 guys recently?

Their price will make you want to ram your head through a wall.

I used to go their regularly, but now it's been a couple of years. It's the one place that actually priced themselves out of my life. Before I'd pay a couple dollars extra to splurge on their food. However, at $17 for a burger/fries it's no longer a splurge, it's just stupid.

 

[Senzo Tanaka]

Anybody been to a 5 guys recently?

Their price will make you want to ram your head through a wall.

$19 for a cheeseburger and small fries here. Not even a drink. It's good but that's absurd.

I did go to McDonald's for the first time in probably 6 months over the weekend. I used the app so the prices weren't terrible but what struck me was eating inside. No drink refills (this one has already ripped them out), no napkins, condiments, etc. and all ordering stations. It literally felt like a bank in there. No fun. Miserable.

And the food didn't even have the McDonald's taste anymore. I had heard they changed their burgers and they were super juicy but didn't have much flavor to them. It will probably be another 6 months or more before I go again. They've lost the point of their entire existence - A fun spot for kids to eat that's cheap and that adults can enjoy as well.

 

[RoastBeast]

Anybody been to a 5 guys recently?

Their price will make you want to ram your head through a wall.

I haven't been to one in about 6 years but even back then the prices were insane and it was so greasy that I had to take a shower right afterward.

 

[method115]

I haven't been to one in about 6 years but even back then the prices were insane and it was so greasy that I had to take a shower right afterward.

Yea I only went once and even the prices were really high.

 

[Misfit23]

The saddest part is people are still willingly paying those prices.

 

[nhbbear]

About time. Their CEO is destitute.

No wonder this country is so fat, out of shape, and fighting over the electric scooters in the grocery store and needing a wheelchair to walk 20 feet into the hospital(non leg injury-they’re just fat)

 

[Neck&Neck]

I think almost everything has doubled in price in the last decade, from fast food, to housing
Sad times bros, unless you Uber Rich

 

[moreorless87]

I think almost everything has doubled in price in the last decade, from fast food, to housing
Sad times bros, unless you Uber Rich

I think fast food more than most though.

Again I suspect a big issue is a shift in who they target and how, used to be based mostly on drawing in cheap business but now they limit that to a limited "value menu". The rest of the time they basically exploit that people use them out of convenience and charge them a premium for doing so.

Its less "poor mans food" and more "busy middle class mans food", probably because they've worked out the latter has so much more spending power.

 

[nostradumbass]

The saddest part is people are still willingly paying those prices.

It's still one of the cheaper options because everywhere else has gotten more expensive too, and people go more for convenience than anything else. I'm not a big fast food guy in general, but I went to a taco bell on a trip and it was nearly $20. I used to go like 20 years ago in high school and it seemed like I ordered about 500 things and it came out to like $7.

 

[w00t]

Maybe as the price of McDonalds doubles the average size of Americans will undouble.

 

[bandicoot]

I just checked the uber app, and a 1/4 pounder with cheese meal here is $9.39

Your Uber app is not the McDonald's app and is not at all representative of what the restaurant actually charges.

 

[chardog]

How does that even make sense? One of the main reasons many Americans flocked to McDonald was their affordability. In spite of their major brand recognition, we all know McDonald's is mediocre in terms of quality and taste.

Why the hell should I get a Big Mac Meal from McDonald's for $12.59 when I can get a #1 (Double Double, fries and a medium drink) from In-N-Out (which is clearly superior to McDonald's in quality and taste) for only $9.20?

They get you with the kids.

An additional play area for an hour, for only 3 bucks more? With two young kids, we’ve got a deal……..

I would not take my older kids to mcdonalds, much better mom and pop places are less expensive, higher quality

 

[Unknown Pleasures]

Aspirational branding. A lot of the kind of idiots out there who get in arguments about coke vs pepsi or nike vs adidas will also only eat at mcdonalds.

I run a small business and the hardest part is getting my product in people's hands. I generally get great feedback since my product is better than the big companies and literally half the price but the hard part is getting people to even try it.

They're brainwashed by 'aspirational branding' to think buying the expensive shitty product makes them seem 'cool.'

You see it all the time on social media. Big company releases a new shitty, overpriced product and all the lemmings can't wait to buy it and post a picture of them holding it on Instagram to show off.

Just go on Instagram and search #McDonalds and see all the clapping seals posing for selfie with a burger.

Or look at the iphone vs android arguments. The iphone argument 99% of the time is if you don't have an iphone, you're poor. These same people will whine about capitalism and how they can't afford a house. Meanwhile they have a $800/month car payment on a brand new truck they use to go to work every day and buy groceries.

Aspirational branding convinces the customer that they share in the glory of the business so they flock to support the biggest business.

Yeah, that's the sad part. You get so many good ma and pa restaurants that offer much better value and taste but have no advertising budget or brand recognition and people walk right past them to get their inferior grub from the corporate conglomerates.

 

[Blunderbuss]

I happened to go to a McDonald's when I was in Argentina earlier this year. Stuck at an airport, nowhere better to eat.

Didn't expect much, and I was pleasantly surprised. Massive portions, the burger I got was hefty to say the least. Good quality burger compared to what they serve in NA. Reminded me of 90's McDonald's. It wasn't cheap though, but that could be airport related.

They also have all different burgers, much better variety than they offer in USA or Canada. If we had Argentinian McDonald's here, I would probably go once in a while.

On a similar note, I know a number of Filipino people in my little Canadian city. I guess KFC is big there, but the KFC here is completely different in terms of taste and portion. They think it's pretty gross tbh. One of the guys did open a restaurant here (unfortunately closed, RIP date night place) and he had fried chicken on the menu. Holy shit, if this is what they consider fried chicken, I gotta get me a house in the Phillipines!

 

[ObsoleteSoul]

Your Uber app is not the McDonald's app and is not at all representative of what the restaurant actually charges.

Uber prices are always higher, no matter where you get the food from. Generally charge at least a dollar more on any item from a restaurant. Just check the restaurants prices and the price in the Uber eats app. It’s crazy how they upcharge the food and you still have to pay fees besides delivery and such…

Best to add things to your cart and do nothing. Then just wait for them to send some 40% off promos to you, to entice you to actually go forward with the purchase.

 

[Misanthropist]

high prices and the portion sizes keep shrinking and shrinking. ate their recently and the big mac is almost the size of a double cheeseburger from 10-15 years ago. nuggets and the chicken sandwich are smaller too.

fast food is supposed to be unhealthy and cheap not unhealthy and expensive. not just mcdonalds but other place too.

Also, it doesn’t make you feel full, it takes about 3 burgers to make you satisfied and that would be costly.

$9.99 burger meal at some joint makes me bloated, even KFC!

Yet, McDonalds is always constantly full every day. WTF.

 

[SSgt Dickweed]

That is so messed up. Inflation is EVIL.