Kevin Roberts remembers when he could get a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a drink from Five Guys for $10. But that was years ago. When the Virginia high school teacher recently visited the fast-food chain, the food alone without a beverage cost double that amount.
Roberts, 38, now only gets fast food “as a rare treat,” he told CBS MoneyWatch. “Nothing has made me cook at home more than fast-food prices.”
Roberts is hardly alone. Many consumers are expressing frustration at the surge in fast-food prices, which are starting to scare off budget-conscious customers.
A January poll by consulting firm Revenue Management Solutions found that about 25% of people who make under $50,000 were cutting back on fast food, pointing to cost as a concern.
That’s their choice but yeah, it’s a bad choice. Still though, a lot of people have stopped going and a lot more have reduced how often they go. I don’t think that trend will be reversing unless the offending places improve service, food quality, and price.
If I can go to an actual restaurant with better service for the same price with similar (or better) wait times, why bother with shitty fast food? You can preorder and pick up from any place too, it’s not restricted to fast food.