Even Fast Food is Not Immune
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (95828)
United States
October 11, 2023 5:21pm CST
Does value even exist anymore? Inflation is taking money out of our pockets at every turn, and fast food has gotten outrageous along with everything else. Sure, many of these places still have "value menus," but even those value menus are not what they used to be.
It's the cost of higher prices on raw materials, delivery of goods, the cost of the gas to heat the oil and electricity to keep the lights on.
And let's not forget wages. That's a big part of it too. When a fast food worker now gets between $14-$16 an hour, the reality is that someone has to pay for that. And that someone is us. The consumer.
I stopped off at Hardee's just for kicks and grins for a mushroom and swiss burger. Nothing fancy. I got nothing but the burger and I paid $8.20 with tax. That same burger a year ago might have cost me half that.
The unfortunate truth is that inflation continues to rise and it won't be over with any time soon. Sure, they report a lower RATE of inflation. But keep in mind, if they tell you that inflation went from 6.5% to 6%, whatever you buy is still 6% higher now than it was before.
I enjoyed my burger. But damn.
24 people like this
20 responses
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
It also doesn't help them at all financially. As I have explained many times before. Give someone who is stupid with money more money and all they wind up is more able to do stupid things with their money. I am glad to see people earning more. But it doesn't solve the problem people like to think it does when it comes to improving lives. It doesn't.
2 people like this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
14 Oct 23
@RubyHawk No. You can't. And these people do not do that anyway. Who are you kidding? You are talking to a guy who knows about money. How many times do I have to tell you that?
Like I said in earlier comments about quitting my job back in July. How did I do it? I listened to people who have money. Not people who don't. And alas, I was able to do things today I would not be able to do had I listened to the advice of broke people.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (74880)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 Oct 23
I completely understand. We used Cupons at Arby's. But, it was still, 11 dollars for two of us. Which isn't completely outrageous, but I remember a time where we could get the same for less. I don't see inflation evening out anytime soon. Worst part is, places feel they need to offer more incentives because no one wants to work.
3 people like this
@kaylachan (74880)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 Oct 23
@porwest I completely agree. And, if prices do drop, I don't expect it's going to be a huge drop. I so hope Biden doesn't run or win again.
3 people like this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
It is a multi-fold problem for sure. And a lot of what drove wages up, which has helped to contribute to inflation, is that that you pointed out...lack of workers. At least when it comes to people returning to work, that does seem to be improving. In fact, Walmart recently lowered its starting wage from $16 back to $14, and surely, they are trendsetters when it comes to this sort of thing, so other businesses will likely follow—especially if they are seeing that they are better able to fill and keep positions.
But yes. I think we've got at least 18-24 months of high prices left and so we're just going to have to deal with it as best we can in the meantime.
3 people like this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
@kaylachan Fingers crossed. I mean, he's running. That's for sure. But win he can't. We can't let him.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (91912)
• Arvada, Colorado
11 Oct 23
Um my eyes poppped out of my head just now when I read the price.
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (91912)
• Arvada, Colorado
12 Oct 23
@porwest Well honestly I had no idea..wow..insane..I seem to recall them being something like $2. Years ago in Arkansas
2 people like this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
@RebeccasFarm I wouldn't be surprised.
1 person likes this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
It's ridiculous, isn't it? I mean, just ridiculous! Beyond that, the lady that served me at the drive through looked like she REALLY hated her job. She's making more money now flipping burgers than anyone ever thought someone flipping burgers could ever possibly make.
See? $15 an hour doesn't change anything because along with that $15 an hour a $4 hamburger costs $9. TOLD YOU SO. lol
Meanwhile your grocery bill is up 20%, your gas costs 100% more, your utility bills are 50% more, and your paycheck is worth half of what it was worth a year ago. Just saying. Suckers.
Am I rejoicing? No. Not hardly. Just reiterating the old saying that money doesn't grow on trees and who pays the cost for all of this stuff? As it has always been...the people who can least afford it.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (122656)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Oct 23
I stopped at McDonalds the other day to get a "value meal" for my daughter on my way home from work. It was $12!!!! I remember when a meal like that would cost like $4 or $5.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (122656)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Oct 23
@porwest It’s definitely not worth it. I have basically given up on eating at fast-food places.
1 person likes this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
@moffittjc I wish I could say the same. But sometimes I just want a greasy burger even if I have to shell out a few more pennies for it. lol
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (106503)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
11 Oct 23
I know what you mean since after my relatives get our payments, money goes out the window really fast.
2 people like this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
11 Oct 23
Inflation is taking a huge bite out of all of our wallets. But no one is being impacted more than the poor. It's really a shame. Just a short few years ago the poor were finally making some headway. That's all gone now and they are farther behind now than ever before.
3 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (106503)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
12 Oct 23
@porwest That is very true about the poor being hit the hardest in terms of inflation,
2 people like this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
@Deepizzaguy The poor, right now, are being annihilated. And the democrats keep saying everything is fine. lol
1 person likes this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
Oh, for sure. If they are telling you inflation is 2% they are lying to you. It's at least 6% or higher right now in the United States. But that's an average. Utility bills are up almost 40%. Canned mushrooms are up 200%. Eggs are up 60%. Milk is up 30%. Gas is up 125%.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (42377)
• United States
12 Oct 23
Here it's often less expensive to eat in a restaurant than order fast food. They're all outrageous.
2 people like this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
Yeah. It's just nuts. No doubt about it. There are many things I have taken off the list completely. I just won't pay certain prices for things. We went two months without eggs for example. I simply was not going to pay the price for them. They've come down a bit, but they are still much higher than they were a year ago.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15515)
• United Kingdom
18 Oct 23
I work in a kitchen currently.
I've worked in many kitchens prior to this and I can honestly say the costs have gone up stupendously
Obviously the US and UK are different but prices have gone up across the globe I think.
Obviously the US and UK are different but prices have gone up across the globe I think.1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171927)
• Agra, India
12 Oct 23
Everything is expensive even freah air has it's cost
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171927)
• Agra, India
12 Oct 23
@porwest yes..and it is going to worse for sure
1 person likes this
@porwest (95828)
• United States
12 Oct 23
@amitkokiladitya One hopes we are on a better path. But at the same time, at least here in the U.S. what's keeping things up is that consumer spending is not really slowing down and jobs remain fairly strong. It's just making it harder for the Fed to actually slow the economy down, which is what needs to happen to curb inflation.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (82414)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 Oct 23
I used to go to Burger King which is not far from where I lived and they offered two Whoppers for $6 before the pandemic hit. After that I have not been there or to any fast food place my budge just won't allow it,
1 person likes this
@sallypup (62736)
• Centralia, Washington
12 Oct 23
There's a burger joint here that has a burger with real cheddar. I gladly pay extra for it.
@rina110383 (24492)
•
12 Oct 23
Indeed, inflation is significantly impacting our finances.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (183886)
• United States
12 Oct 23
I know what you mean; and I sympathize. Everyone is paying through the nose for everything. Hope you and your wife have a good day.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (14904)
• Hong Kong
12 Oct 23
That's quite expensive for a burger. Here, inflation rate is 2-2.5%. But the price of everything has increased.
1 person likes this
