4 of the Priciest Fast-Food Joints in America
Written by
Peter Burns
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Molly Sullivan
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It’s no secret that prices across the U.S. are on the rise, and the fast-food industry is no different. Stories are flooding the internet about people using Buy Now, Pay Later loans to finance burritos and DoorDash orders. Regardless of whether that’s supposed to be a joke, many are voicing frustration at how expensive it has become to get a quick bite to eat.
According to Reddit users, here are four pricy fast-food restaurants in the U.S.
Shake Shack
A thread in r/fastfood sparked a debate after referencing a study that claimed Shake Shack is the most expensive fast-food chain in the U.S. Many users agreed, with caldo4 declaring people “need a hard credit check to get a burger in there.”
So, is it as bad as they say it is? At Shake Shack, a plain hamburger costs $8.99 on its own. From there, the prices continue to climb. For example, the bacon cheeseburger double comes in at $11.49. As for sides, plain fries are $3.99, but limited time offers like spicy cheese fries with ranch will run you $5.49. Adding a small Shack-made lemonade will be another $3.99.
If you order a combination of a bacon cheeseburger, a side of fries and a vanilla shake, your subtotal amounts to $19.47. That’s quite expensive for just one person’s meal. Even so, many users disagreed with the study and referenced the next joint on the list, Five Guys.
Five Guys
Across fast-food-themed Reddit threads, users from all backgrounds come together to complain about the price of Five Guys. In a specific thread from the subreddit r/savedyouaclick, Redditors lamented recent experiences at the restaurant.
For example, joelmercer wrote: “Sadly I don’t think I’ll ever go back. I don’t have five guys where I’m at, but on a family trip we went there with my wife and two kids (who shared a meal) and it was $75 USD, for 3 burgers, fries, a pop and a milkshake. It costs as much as going to a sit down restaurant.”
A glance at the menu shows that the prices are more expensive than Shake Shack. A hamburger costs $9.64 and a bacon cheeseburger is $12.72. The price of regular fries is also more expensive, at $5.98, though a 24-ounce fountain drink is only $2.84. Purchasing the same combination as before, you’d end up paying $21.54.
While the users seemed to agree that the prices were high, some said Five Guys shouldn’t be considered a traditional fast-food restaurant. Terrih9123 pointed out, “They probably fall into the ‘fast casual’ category. It’s fast in the sense you aren’t waiting sit down times but by no means as fast as a McDonald’s, which is doing hot holding techniques to keep speeds down. Five guys makes ’em to order.”
McDonald’s
In a r/rant thread about McDonald’s prices getting expensive, AdunfromAD claims the brand “raised their prices after COVID and never looked back. Just greed, really.” Another user, smokinghotmeat, said, “Ordered two filet-o-fishes and medium order of fries through the app and got a free large fry and the total came out to 17 and change. I closed the app.”
While some argue that McDonald’s is overcharging, the prices are significantly lower than those of Shake Shack and Five Guys. On the McDonald’s app, hamburgers go for $1.99 a pop and the double bacon quarter pounder with cheese is also less expensive than the other two at $9.59. The fries go for $3.39, and a soft drink costs $1.49. When you add up the example meal, the McDonald’s version costs $14.47. Fast-food enthusiasts may find this expensive, but compared to Shake Shack and Five Guys, it’s a much more reasonable option.
Smashburger
In a r/AskReddit post titled “What is the most overpriced fast food place?”, there were a lot of fingers pointed at the first three picks. However, RGJ3x2 voiced their displeasure with the Smashburger brand, asking in the comments, “Why is it $30 for 2 burgers and tater tots?” Smash burgers are a type of burger where the patties are smashed into the grill and cooked quickly. The restaurant Smashburger uses this technique, employing a signature burger smasher for best results.
The All-American smash is the most affordable beef burger option, priced at $6.29. Smashburger’s version of a bacon double cheeseburger, the double bacon stack smash, costs $11.09.
To round out the meal, you can add an order of regular French fries for $3.39 and a 20-ounce fountain drink for $3.19. In total, your meal will run you $17.67.
Prices are from restaurants in Raleigh, North Carolina, and may differ by location.
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