It was the fast food chains that increased their most last year prices

There was a time when “fast food” was synonymous with “cheap food”, but this is not always the case now due to the increase in inflation. Of course, taking dinner in a car trip is always cheaper than sitting in a steakhouse, but the prices have skyrocketed in 2024 in some of the best known fast food chains, making it less affordable than in recent years.

A particular restaurant has doubled the prices of menu items in the last decade. According to a survey by Lending Tree, which interviewed 2,000 Americans, 78% of participants now say that they now consider fast food as a luxury, rather than a way to obtain a quick and inexpensive bite to eat on the go.

The question is: Will these fast food prices continue to increase in 2025? Here is everything you know about fast food inflation, including channels increased their most last year prices and what could be on the horizon.

Source: Financebuzz

What fast food chains have increased their prices the most in the last decade?

In the past decade, McDonald’s has increased its 100% prices in the United States, making it the country’s most increased fast food chain, according to information collected by Financebuzz. But the prices of their menu do not only increase in the United States. According to Spine Genie, McDonald’s increased its prices in Canada by almost 140%.

In the United States, a quarter of books with cheese flour cost $ 5.39 in 2014 and 2024, it cost $ 12, FinanceBuzz reports. The second and third restaurants with the most inflated prices were Popeyes and Taco Bell in the United States and Panera and Wendy in Canada. At Popeyes in 2014, you could hang the four -piece chicken dinner for $ 7. By 2024, this price has increased by 97% and now costs $ 13.79.

These results differ slightly from 2022 when Wendy’s and Chick-Fil-A had the highest inflation rate and the burger chicken fries were the number one inflated menu in all chains.

According to the new Lendingtree survey, 46% of participants said they are now believing that prices in their local fast food restaurants are now in accordance with sitting restaurants. Even more surprising is that 22% of these participants believe that fast food was actually now higher price in comparison.

What causes fast food inflation?

The inflation of fast food restaurants is a “multilayer phenomenon”, told CNET Valerie KILDERS, assistant professor in the agricultural economy department at Purdue University.

Kilders has cited a minimum increase in wages for low -wage workers and “the increase in the general prices of foodstuffs” because two important factors contributing to the increase in price of rapid food.

“After the pandemic, we have seen that the lowest workers, who include those who generally work in fast food restaurants, saw the fastest growth in wages,” said Kilders, adding that from January 2024 to January 2025 “The prices of cattle increased by 20.6%and wholesale (increased) around 15%. significant increases in these two categories. “

“The increase in operators’ prices is transmitted to consumers,” she added.

While egg prices continue to skyrocket, economists underline the flu with birds as a contributor to the prices of the eggs of eggs that we see in grocery stores and on restaurant menus. This week, the main American rates against Canada and Mexico have entered into force under the Trump administration, and with them could come even more price increases to the grocery store and beyond.

Although President Donald Trump has said that the country importing goods will pay the prices implemented or the tax on articles, economists are disagreeing. According to the Tax Foundation, when the United States imposes prices, US companies pay the tariff tax on the United States government. Similar to fast food chains, when the company does not pay the increased prices with which they face, these prices are transmitted to the consumer.

The 25% prices against Mexico and Canada started on March 4, and a previous 10% rate on China has now doubled at 20%, according to the Associated Press. According to the American Department of Agriculture, in 2023, 72.5% of American agricultural imports came from Mexico. This included 25% of drinks, including beer and tequila, 14% of fruits, 13% of vegetables, 6% of lawyers and more.

And 63.8% of agricultural imports in the United States come from Canada, including 19% of animal products and 12% of fruits and vegetables.

According to Econofact, the 2018 Trump administration prices, which were then kept in place by the Biden administration, did not drop the prices for the Americans.

Will prices continue to increase in fast food restaurants?

“The short answer is that it is too early to say,” said Kilders.

However, she says that it is not only fast food chains increase their prices. It happens everywhere.

“If we generally look at the increase (in the consumer price index) for food far from home, this increase was around 3.4% in the past year, and there is not much difference between full -service restaurants and limited service restaurants,” said Kinger.

Although it may seem that McDonald’s increases its prices more than Olivier’s garden or that of pepper, this is not necessarily the case. On the contrary, when a notoriously cheap fast food restaurant increases prices, it will always be more obvious to the consumer.

With regard to future prospects on food prices, various factors must be taken into account.

“How will the costs of the workforce develop? Are we going to see additional increases in food contributions? Are we going to see a kind of interventions on the level of policy that could influence all these factors that play an important role in the way demand will develop,” said Kilders, “then, therefore, how the supply and prices will develop.”

Depending on the prices of the food prices of the USDA, cited by Kilders, it is believed that the consumption of food at home will increase around 3.3% in the next year, which means that the Moreaari -Ricans will opt to jump the journey or restaurants sit and cook at home in an effort to save a few dollars

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