Are our BURGERS getting SMALLER?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
March 24, 2007 8:49am CST
Anonymous 1: Are the burglars back?
Anonymous 2: Where? Who? What?
Anonymous 1: The BURGERS... why are they getting smaller?
Is it just me, or have you noticed it as well? The burgers of today compared to 5 years ago are smaller, yet more expensive. And by burgers, I am referring to those from fast food restaurants such as Burger King and McDonald's. I remember a time when they were bigger, cheaper, and in fact tastier too!
I studied the inflation trend of Singapore. For the last decade, it has been kept in check within a range of 2%. To see for yourself, you can refer to the table at http://www.singstat.gov.sg/Keystats/hist/cpi.html . If the size of a burger drops by 2%, I don't think I would notice a difference. If the price of it goes up by 2%, I don't think I would realise too! So what exactly is wrong? Are these listed companies simply ripping us off?
Take a look at McDonald's for instance. From http://finance.google.com/finance?q=MCD , we can see that in last year alone, its revenue exceeded 20 billion US$. How's that for "we are poor, we make healthy burgers, please let us charge *a little* more"?
What's your take on this issue? Have our burgers become smaller and yet more expensive? Do you still bring your kids for fast food? Do you still frequent these places yourself? Or are you already boycotting them in protest? Do share your thoughts. ;-)
13 people like this
51 responses
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
24 Mar 07
Fast food chains have been accused of incalcating kids with unhealthy eating. As such burgers are made smaller to reduce the amount of unhealthy food consumed. Logical approach, I would think. Why is the price maintained or rather increase when the burger is getting smaller? To tell the market that the value is still there. It is still worth eating. Any reduction in price will depreciate the value of the burger.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
24 Mar 07
Wow this is a good one!
So they are being nice to kids? Making burgers smaller but more expensive so that they can discourage kids from buying burgers? Oh yea, it just so happen that they get some 20 billion dollars for their noble efforts.
2 people like this
@rainbow (6761)
•
24 Mar 07
I think they are a terrible rip off if I'm honest. The quality of the meat at Mcdonalds is awful. Burger King seems better but we rarely visit anywhere for burgers. I make my own at home or get them from our village butcher, with apple etc in to make the barbeque more exciting in summer.
I have heard so many horror stories about these places, MCD's especially and the fact that my kids won't eat it, only want the toy is enough to make me feel able to take them home and make some myself if neccessary.
3 people like this
@mzbubblie (3839)
• United States
24 Mar 07
Actually, I don't go out to fast food restaurants very often. I do enjoy eating at Wendy's if I go..lol...My son don't eat out much either, most of the time if he gets fast food, he's with me or he's with my mother visiting her.
I don't think people really bother to care if the price goes down or if the burger gets smaller, if it gets too small, I think they would just add something else to their order.
There are so many people, generally speaking, that don't even cook, for instance, I live between two military bases. Most of the military people who stay in the barricks don't have a kitchen and eat out daily. I don't think it would bother them as much either...
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
24 Mar 07
I don't know the prices or the sizes of fast food, we don't eat at the fast food places maybe once a year or so. IT is unhealthy.
You should be thanking them for cutting the size of the food - you will live longer if you eat it less.
2 people like this
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
24 Mar 07
Oh no, my girls would kill me for boycotting those hamburger chains. Not that we frequented Mc Donald or Burger King, we have many burger houses here selling 100% pure beef grilled to perfection in jumbo sizes and at a price that's affordable. I try to avoid going to Mc Donald because my girls kept pestering me to buy those promo stuff they're offering. I can't remember if the hamburgers before are bigger in sizes though. Maybe you got a giant hands now that you feel the burgers are smaller.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
24 Mar 07
Haha, you could be right about the hands getting bigger thing.. :P
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
19 Jun 07
I was just sharing this with my wife the other day at burger king when we were chowing down on some burgers.
It has been a long time since I last ate at BK. At least half a year.
I was commenting that the patties are thinner than a year ago.
Yes, the burgers are getting smaller and smaller as time goes by. This is the tactic employed by many food outlets, not just fast food. You pay the same price, you get smaller portions. Law of inflation.
Making a profit this year is never enough. Every year's profit MUST surpass the previous. So these "creative" little tactics are put to work.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
20 Jun 07
The thing is they down the size AND up the price. Neat.
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
24 Mar 07
I don't frequent fast food restaurants any more, mainly because I am conscious of all the saturated fat, grease and unhealthiness in fast food. They are always ripping off the consumer and will cut back in any way they can to squeeze even more money out and if he means making the portions smaller then what the heck, to them it's fair game, any stunt they can get away with they will, give them an inch and they'll take a mile. If people made a stand against them and boycotted their restaurants but they know that wouldn't happen and even if a small percentage of the population did that then that wouldn't even affect them, so you are fighting a winning battle.
2 people like this
@freezingfev (815)
•
24 Mar 07
are u kiddin me??? burgers are getting BIGGER according to me!!!
or maybe its just me getting conscience of ma size n the amount of calories it has!! (the burger i mean) ;)
but still hav u seen the heart-attack burgers in USA??? its tripple the size of america itself!! lol
2 people like this
@astromama (1221)
• United States
28 Mar 07
The burgers may be getting smaller, but the people eating them keep getting bigger! I am a vegetarian so the only fast food I ever eat is Taco Bell's seven layer burrito.. and it's pretty much crap. I think all fast food is crap. Plus, have you read 'Fast Food Nation'? That's enough to turn anyone's stomach!
2 people like this
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
24 Mar 07
I really think now they have two sizes small and large or at least thats the way it is here in Texas...I know that sonic burgers have a large burgers..I think places like MC Donalds have 2 sizes....I mostly go to sonic since it is near by...No i have not boycotted any of the burger places..I do share your thoughts on small burgers,but i believe that they have a choice here you can have small or large...
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
24 Mar 07
At least in Singapore, I don't think there are 2 sizes. Well, the chicken burger here is bigger than the cheeseburger, but there is only 1 size per burger.
1 person likes this
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
24 Mar 07
not exactly interested ..still replying on a friendly basis .. my place .. we have burgersvery rare because my people are not familiar with it ... but one thing ...we have BURGLARS galore up here ..in every field ..officialdom ...private sector ..in the market .. for that matter everywhere..
@easy888 (10405)
• Australia
24 Mar 07
The burgers had been so small since when i te it for the first time, the so called big mac cannot even fill up a small girl like me..lol......However, the fat content is large in the burgers, it is definitely not good for health, I am eating those food much less frequenly than before.
Also the price kept inceasing, for example, the price of big mac meal had been increased by 10 % than 2 years ago, the burgers may be of same size,but the chips and drinks are smaller...
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
24 Mar 07
Oh goodness, you must have an enviable appetite. :P
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
24 Mar 07
i'm not 100% certain burger king's has,but mc donalds' definetly look smaller.particularily the quarter pounder.
i remember them as being much bigger in the 70's.
maybe there's a higher amount of soy in them now and they shrink?
(they say it's all beef,but i doubt it)
2 people like this
@dnatureofdtrain (5273)
• Janesville, Wisconsin
24 May 07
It is not the inflation just that. It is the obesity problem is when they started to downsize majorly, and over charge, They think it will deter people from buying unhealthy if they charge more for it.. But I do agree it is a major rip off... I do not agree with downsizing or upsizing I think the product should be consistant, and that the pay is fine to fluctuate.. but they need to be reasonable with what they charge too. I barely eat fast food, unless my family gets it for me. Just can not afford anything really.. - DNatureofDTrain
@dnatureofdtrain (5273)
• Janesville, Wisconsin
26 May 07
Oh boy, Do I agree on that one! Cheers Bravo! Bravo!
- DNatureofDTrain
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
24 May 07
Well, if they are downsizing for physical health reasons, they should revise their rates according for financial health reasons. :P
1 person likes this
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
20 Jun 07
Gosh, I thought I was just getting bigger ...
There was a burger place in Waco Texas that sold pounders. Yes, that is one full pount of ground chuck with whatever condiments you wanted. That was back in the mid seventies and at a private burger stand, not one of the big conglomerates. I would always take a chance on a small store, since I get so easily tired of the same processed foods the big companies sell.
Not that all small businesses are better - I've had my share of even worse than Taco Bell quality (now that's bad) But many times I've been pleasently surprised.
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
20 Jun 07
Ha ha ha!
I used to remember that the Big Mac cannot fit inside my mouth. Now I have no problem at all. :P
@havachat (105)
• Australia
24 Mar 07
yes i have noticed, we have hungry lacks here ( australia ) it think they are burger king in the us, their slogan used to be it takes 2 hands to handle a whopper, their main burger, well it used to when i was a tenager, but not so much now, even though they are bigger that macas, it takes 3 mc-donalds to feed me, but 2 whoppers are heaps, the price dosn't seem to go up much, but they compromise in size, the best burgers are from the local fish and chip shop, or my favorite, home made, i just love a fish burger with all the salad and an egg
2 people like this
@mummymo (23706)
•
24 Mar 07
Sorry wizzy not a burger fan! We used to take the kids regularly but I would eat something with chicken - if anything! We very rarely take the kids to McD's or BK now - we prefer to eat something a bit healthier when we can and save this for a special treat so I haven't noticed!
@champr23 (687)
• United States
25 Mar 07
Our burgers are not getting smaller. I'm not exactly sure you came up with this idea. Personally, I think it can be clearly seen that not only burgers are getting LARGER, that portion size is getting LARGER as well.
If you look around the obesity of americans is at very high levels. Marketers are trying to up the portion size as much as they can. Feeding and fueling the appetites of unstopable hunger of americans. If I go to a restaurant even, I couldn't possibly eat all of the food that they serve me most of the time. I usually have to get to go containers, because the portion size is gynormus.
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
25 Mar 07
I didn't come up with this "idea". It was an observation I made.
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
20 Jun 07
Yes, I've noticed that myself, that the Big Mac isn't as big as it use to be. As well as other burgers, they have gotten smaller. Same with candy bars too!
1 person likes this
