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.

  • slurpinderpin@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Taco Bell’s app is a game changer, can still get a box for like $6. But that’s the only place I’ll get fast food anymore

    • Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      6 months ago

      I feel real bad for everyone living in a place where Taco Bell won the texmex fast food wars instead of Del Taco. A 1/2 pound bean and cheese burrito is still under $2, the fries I get on the side are more expensive. They were bought out by Jack in the Box so I’m waiting for the quality to start tanking, though.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        I feel real bad for everyone living in a place where Taco Bell won the texmex fast food wars instead of Del Taco.

        Joke’s on you, we’ve got the three seashells.

      • Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        6 months ago

        There are two Del Tacos in my entire state (i didn’t even know there was one), so they didn’t really have a chance.

    • ZeroTwo@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Taco bell is the only fast food I eat as well. The rewards are pretty good. Free cheesy gordita crunch? Fuck yeah!

      • Drusas@kbin.run
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        6 months ago

        They should look at McDonald’s TOS closely because they use the Taco Bell app?

        • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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          6 months ago

          The article discusses McDonald’s but hidden gotchas in the TOS are becoming an industry standard. I shared the article because if McD is doing it, then it might be a good idea to look at your Taco Bell ToS closely, just in case.

          Clearly I didn’t do a good job at making a clear statement with my previous comment.

        • slurpinderpin@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          And I’m not really anticipating suing a fast food restaurant. I know what I’m getting myself into when I eat there lol

          • circuscritic@lemmy.ca
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            6 months ago

            That’s like saying “I have nothing to hide, why do I care if the government listens to all of my calls”.

            Why do you think a fast food corporation would want their customers waive their legal right to sue them…?

            • slurpinderpin@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              Why would I care? I’m assuming the risk by eating there in the first place. And anyway, I’m not a litigious person, if I got sick or something I’d just chalk it up as a L and go on with my life

              • circuscritic@lemmy.ca
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                6 months ago

                What if you couldn’t just go on? What if their negligence seriously and permanently harmed you i.e. burns from scalding coffee, toxic chemical contamination, etc.?

                Is the risk of hospitalization, or major surgery, just an L to shrug off?

                Again, I ask you: why do you think a fast food company would want to sneak in an arbitration clause?