Fast food prices in our area have really gone way up in the past decade, and a full meal at any major fast food restaurant here would cost you pretty much the same at any average restaurant with home style cooking. Of course, the actual restaurants still tend to be pricier, but I feel as though fast food prices are quickly catching up and I'm not sure if this has always been the case or if I'm only starting to notice it now as I grow older. There are also ways to save at fast food restaurants here, though, since they still have a dollar menu, but the average meal prices have really gone way up. Is this also true for any of you? If so, do you then make an effort to just spend your money on regular restaurants where the food might be more substantial, or do you give in to the urge of convenience?
I'm on a limited income, so it's mostly Ramen, canned veggies, sometimes fruit, and sometimes hot-dogs (plus $5 church-dinner Wednesday, plus friend-provided Bible-study dinner every other Thursday, plus paid-for breakfast on Fridays, plus 'free' church-lunch on Saturday ... the 'limited income'-diet sounds moochy, no?); but I try to eat out about twice a week ... trying hard to spend less than $10-a-time (dining alone ), and usually with a coupon---I consider a restaurant-coupon to be 'an invitation to join them for a meal that they're "buying with me".'
Not around here, you can buy a chicken fillet burger, a portion of chips and a drink for the bargain price of $1,99. This is why so many of them are popping up all over my town and there are so many of us unhealthy people waling about with big bellies. :/
I pretty much only order from the dollar menu at fast food joints for that very reason - their regular combo meals are now in the $7+ range. I remember when they used to be under $4 in most cases. It's not like they are paying their employees any better either, and the quality of the food hasn't really improved as well. In some cases, I could see if they're selling some special 1/4 pound burger patty, or some premium chicken strips - but when the heavily processed crap like a chicken nugget meal is pushing $6, forget it. It's kind of sad when the price of burgers can go up faster than the pay of the person flipping them. I was loving Taco Bell's "Beefy Crunch Melts" that had red Fritos in them, especially when they were only $1 each - but they eventually raised the price on them, then took them off the menu all together.
The price-setters have low self-esteem ... they don't believe in the Keynesian Economics (that say 'the price they set will decide the value of the money in the market')---sort of the same way the farmer doesn't believe one seed (in the right ground) will produce a hundredfold crop.
I totally agree with OP, it's insane that we pay almost as much for a McMenu as we pay for a regular meal in a regular restaurant. And it's crazy because in McDonalds for example we are no eating real food and everything is automated, so just imagine the profit they have by selling us that at the price of normal food.
A few weeks back I took two of my grandsons out for a treat we stopped for food and was I surprised at the prices for food. Two teen age boys cost me more than $10.
Yep, fast food prices are about the same in my area as going out to a restaurant. Which is pretty insane if you think about it, considering how much better quality of food restaurant food is. But I unfortunately fall to the victim of not having time to go to a sit down restaurant and is the reason I go to fast food more often. I think convenience factor is why a lot of people go to fast food restaurants. So they avoid having to cook that day and just get their food almost immediately.
Fast food prices are still lower than going to a restaurant, so I think it would still save you a couple of bucks if you just ate at a fast food. You can have a decent meal with $3 already over here in my country in a fast food chain.
"Decent" is a relative term. If you're used-to the (for instance) $7 buffet atLog In, the $3 sandwich-&-chips at theLog In is gonna seem like "slim pickin`s" (even though it's just fine as a meal).
I do the same when I go to fast food restaurants nowadays for the same reason, at least on most visits. I usually just get from the dollar menu as well or at least order something way cheaper because if I were to spend a lot then I'd just feel bad in not just deciding to spend it on "more real" food. I also, of course, still give in from time to time and order some of their more pricey items, especially if there's something new on the menu that I think I'd like, but apart from that I'd usually just try and save my money for another meal when I'm in an actual restaurant that I could buy significantly more in terms of quantity and quality for the same expensive price.
The prices of fast food here in my town are also very high. If I go to a regular restaurant then I can get more with the money I use for a portion of food at fast food restaurant. But people seem like they don't care at all and they go and dine there anyway. As for me, I mostly prefer to go to a regular restaurant.
That's what I hate/love about the credit-card money system---people spend with no mind paid to 'cost,' because "they're covered" (they pay a regular amount to the CC0company, who's picking up the actual price for them) ... which is JUST FINE-AND-DANDY if you're making the average income (adjusted for inflation, which runs rampant due to the credit-system paying-no-mind to the actual dollar).
The only fast food place that I regularly go to is actually quite a healthy place. They offer a selection of quick wok-fried vegetables with all kinds of healthy extras, such as nuts, fresh herbs and organic tofu. The price is not bad for what you get. It's around 8 Euros and really worth it, as it tastes delicious and comes from reliable sources. Basically you know that the quality will always be good. I have been told that the prices haven't changed much in the recent two years.
I usually order off the dollar menu. If I go to Mcdonalds or BK I usually just get 3 or 4 dollar menu chicken sandwhiches and that will fill me up pretty damn well. I still feel like I'm getting ripped off paying a dollar for a tiny little sandwhich but its the best deal I can get at a fast food place.
We all do that zer0, we all pick up some food that make us feel full, but what our body need, it didn't get and the price we pay it's not very distant from the one of a real meal. That's the point where we are at, we buy junk food like if it's real food.
Yes, fast food is expensive, and it's unhealthy! Fast food used to be a regular stop for me too, back when I had a demanding job and more money than time. Now that I quit the job, I spend more time cooking for my family at home and growing my own vegetables, and we're all a lot happier and healthier for it. The only time I get fast food is when I secret shop fast food places. Then the food is free, plus I get paid for writing about the experience. Even then, I don't do that more than once every month or two. We're no longer accustomed to eating that way, so, while it's still a treat, it also can be a tummy ache!
