I only trust Campbell tomato soup
That chart is evil. First two ticks represent 5 years. Ticks 2-3 represent 2 years. The last two ticks represent 2 1/2-3 years!
Also, what’s so magical about 2014 that it deserves to be the baseline? I’d love to see this extended back to, oh, 2006 or so. Sometime before the Great Recession.
Finally, what about shrinkflation? I used to order from Panera on a regular basis, but during the pandemic, it seemed like their sandwiches shrank a little bit more between every order. At this point, I don’t think it’s even worth ordering from them.
JFC I didn’t even notice the x axis at first glance.
And who is what at that mid-level grouping on the left vertical? I could guess at the colors, but I’ve come up with 9 different possibilities. It’d be nice to be able to tell which is leveling off and which is accelerating.
The time line doesn’t matter since it is only comparing different brands to inflation, not against time. You could stretch the graph but the comparison will stay the same.
2014 is just chosen as a starting point. Most probably because the info was readily available. You can make the same graph starting from any point in time and the conclusion of the graph wouldn’t change.
Hard disagree on both points. If the time line doesn’t matter, why include it? It would be simpler to just plot the endpoints.
As for the conclusion, what if McDonalds kept prices the same from 2004-2014, but Popeyes doubled prices over the same time period? The final plots for 2024 would be in a different order. It would be a different conclusion. Unless nobody changed prices at all before 2014, you’ll have a different final result.
The timeline gives a general reference point. You’re right they could mostly just include 2014 and the final year as well. No big deal in my opinion since they don’t try to emphasize the price points at each year (as only a vague idea is given based on the line).
In terms of your second point, what if from '99 to 2003, Mcdonald’s had doubled their prices? the graph would be the same? We can keep going back until each business’s complete history, but I feel this graph tells enough of a story: Both brands increased their product costs a certain amount from the dates indicated.
Not to mention that a huge number of these businesses are locally owned franchises, where the parent corporation has less control over menu prices.
Many franchises are bound by a specific cost structure and predefined distribution.
And most franchises are required to purchase their raw ingredients from the parent corporation, which means that even if they choose to be flexible on their prices their baseline costs are still set by a global conglomerate.
I guess just because it’s 10 years difference?
There is no excuse for this kind of ungodly travesty of a lie made with data.
They are awarded no points and may God have mercy on their soul.
Probably because all food prices has outpaced inflation. If you’ve done any grocery shopping in the past two years between shrinkflation and price increases many food items have doubled in price.
The right wing always assumes everything is a government conspiracy and the left wing assumes everything is a corporate conspiracy and neither group bothers to think about any other reason for things like this.
But before blaming the government for “printing money” (when the central banks have done the opposite by raising interest rates) or assuming every grocery store in the world got together to raise prices all at once, maybe we should consider other factors.
There could be food supply issues. Given this is a global phenomena, we should consider global food supply problems.
One thing that could cause global food supply is if there was a war in a part of the war that normally exports a large percentage of a staple food to the rest of the world. Where is wheat and grain normally produced? Is there a war happening there?
The fun thing about economics is the idea of substitutes. Bread is more expensive now? Just have more rice. Grain is too expensive for cattle feed? Mix in some more corn. If you’re the only one doing these tricks to reduce your food costs, it works really well. But unfortunately everyone is substituting which results on food prices across the board going up.
Also Climate Change does have an effect on agriculture. Droughts and floods mean less food is produced. So places which were reliable fields for farming aren’t so reliable anymore. So while the war in Ukraine will eventually be resolved which will put some downward pressure on food prices, climate change will continuously be putting an upward pressure on the price of food.
It’s been maddening to watch people call price-gouging “inflation”, honestly.
That’s not fucking inflation when someone in the supply chain made things more expensive and pocketed the difference as a wider profit margin; it’s the symptom of non-enforcement of antitrust laws.
I mean, most foodstuffs markets (in the supply chain between farm and grocer or farm -> restaurant) are controlled by very few people or corporations; when the farmers get less for their products but the grocer must pay more for them, that’s not inflation. It’s price-gouging, the symptom of the kinds of market failures that follow regulatory failures to prevent corporate mergers that would reduce competition in those markets.
When you look at food, fuel, housing, the enshittification of basically everything, the acquisition of yesterday’s hot-fresh-streaming services and re-packaging them to be just as predatory as the cable was when you cut the cord and went to streaming- it’s all what we get when private equity owns a piece of everything and they’re running it all to squeeze more out of everyone they can, and they also ensure regulators don’t do a damned thing about it.
There was once a time when regulators had the will to block corporate mergers, and they had the will to tax windfall profits at 100%.
If inflation isn’t based on most prices increasing… What is it based on?
If inflation isn’t based on most prices increasing… What is it based on?
It’s the devaluation of currency that happens when too much of it chases too few goods in the marketplace. It’s purely a monetary thing, you get that when the supply of money grows more quickly than the value of real goods in the economy does.
Ideally, we print money (and take it out of circulation) at a pace that keeps the money supply more or less balanced to the value of available goods and services in the economy. If we were to print too much money, or not take enough out of circulation (note: paying taxes does this; when you pay taxes the money doesn’t go into some account somewhere, it’s used to zero out the bonds issued to create it), the amount of money in circulation would become greater than the amount of real valuable goods in the economy. When that happens, the resulting bidding contest to secure those goods (after all, money doesn’t have intrinsic value, it’s only good for buying things that do) drives up the price of those goods in monetary terms.
Damn food trucks took our jobs.
When I was in college, I could fill up on three bean burritos at Taco Bell for $1.81 out the door. Del Taco was cheaper at $1.50.
That was thirty years ago, but still. I don’t know how to explain it, but it felt a whole lot easier to dig up that kind of pocket change back then than it does to dig up whatever it costs today.
Now it’s 3-4 bucks per burrito here. And it’s still garbage food.
I’m pretty sure the McDonald’s one is false, which makes me think all of the others are too. This is a bad faith argument. I’m assuming this is going around TikTok and that’s why so many braindead people keep repeating it
I have found the article here: https://financebuzz.com/fast-food-prices-vs-inflation
At work so I can’t read it atm, but I’m interested to hear your conclusion later
I found this article yesterday, from none other than Fox (who I would think would lean into this narrative): https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/mcdonalds-pushes-back-hefty-price-hikes-including-18-big-mac-meal
According to the McDonald’s CEO, the $18 Big Mac (which is where this number comes from) was 1 location, and the average price of a Big Mac is up 21% since 2019 (less than inflation). So I think all of these numbers in your article are cherry picked or just made up
Yeah, look at the x axis labels. 5 years, 2 years, and 3 years. WTF?
Not saying it’s right, but the spacing makes the drastic changes in 19-21 less obvious by spreading them across a wider area. Same with 21-24, just less so.
A consistently spaced graph would probably be more drastic looking.
Regardless of intent/effect, it’s sloppy and does not instill confidence in the data…
Ha, I came here to say that, too.
False as in too low? In 2014 both the mcdouble and mcchicken were $1 each. I ate way too many, but I could get 2 sandwiches and a large drink for $3 plus tax. Today the mcdouble is $2.79, the mcchicken is $2.49, and a large drink is $1.69.
I’m definitely weary of posts like this with no data backup. Also what is “actual inflation”? Wouldn’t that be like average inflation across all goods? Doesn’t inflation affect certain markets differently?
I’m also tired of posts like this.
10 years, double the prices? ain’t that far off.
at our mcd, at least that much for many, if not most, things on their menu. everything i (used to) buy there, anyway. and way more than that for the former ‘dollar menu’ items. beverages the least affected, although it’s now probably double, too (the large cup shrunk on top of the ~ 90% increase since then).
Shrinking cups is actually a good thing. Nobody needs that much sugar, and the cost of the syrup is pennies compared to the cost of the cup itself. They are also mostly plastic now. Normalizing smaller beverages is good for humans.
Used to be a 20$ bill could get you all you need at t bell.
We used to feed a family of 4 for $20 at Taco Bell
Yikes. I couldn’t imagine feeling alright with feeding a family Taco Bell.
2 AM drunk and “i just dont give a shit anymore” is where Taco Bell food resides.
Believe it or not, some people make less money than others.
If you were in a position with only 20 dollars in your pocket and had to feed a family of 4 you would be eternally grateful for cheap food. Consider yourself lucky that you have never faced hardship like that in your life.
I think your comment is pretty ignorant and/or disrespectful.
I think your comment is pretty ignorant and/or disrespectful.
I think your is. You made a lot of assumptions in this comment.
I will not back down from this. I have done better with less money; Taco Bell is not a great option. The person commenting didn’t say they were in a food desert, or their only option. If I absolutely had to, I would, but I could not feel good about it.
It’s the hidden cost of being poor. If time is an asset, the working poor don’t have that either. Even outside of a food desert. It requires that much more planning/mental energy to think about meal planning when both parents are working and the rest of life is happening.
Your communication on this issue comes off as a form of victim blaming.
I will admit that assuming you have never faced hardship like that is not fair. Maybe you have, and maybe you handled it differently.
Still, its disrespectful to make someone feel bad for feeding their family Taco Bell. Maybe they didn’t have time or the knowledge to cook food for that cheap.
Taco Bell is as good an option as any other cheap fast food place. None of them are healthy or anything, and that’s not the point. The point is that they are cheap and quick, and sometimes that’s what people need. Nobody should feel bad about it, including yourself.
Lets face the reality: Most people just don’t care. They are not going to feel bad or good, they just know that they did something they consider fast and cheap. Very few people are going to feel bad.
I would, mostly because I have an idea what goes into their food, and I know you are getting what you pay for: there are better options.
But I also have an idea of what the effect of a global race to the bottom from a company like Yum! Brands results in. They own 58,000 restaurants, a training company, a marketing insights company, and a delivery company. Supporting a global conglomerate to supply “cheap” non healthy addictive food should make anyone take pause. They also drive out other options, and feed into the system where we do not have time or energy to make our own food. Fast food at this scale is a pretty nasty with consequences beyond the price at the till.
Get off your high horse bud.
The quality at all of those places has gone down over that time too. I didn’t even think that was possible
God this makes me so want to eat the rich!
Taco Bell is fucking ridiculous now. A single grilled cheese burrito on its own is over $10. The other burritos are 3 to 4 bucks as well. The entire point of Taco Bell is that it’s supposed to be cheap garbage food you order at 1AM on a weekend after smoking a bowl, and that’s no longer feasible. Now it’s expensive garbage food. Nevermind that they also got rid of half the menu.
Went there recently, plain bean burrito used to cost me 1.29…now it’s 2.85 AND they now charge extra .20 if you want extra onions.
Crazy prices now.
I miss Taco Viva
The only thing worth getting is the $6 cravings box that is only available through the app.
It’s $8 where I’m at now. They do have a special taco Tuesday box for 5-6 now though.
I’m lucky that I live in a town with about 2 billion taco trucks that are all insanely better and cheaper than Taco Bell. Plus, Taco Bell tastes like a Midwestern white lady’s version of Mexican food, which made it easy to avoid even when it wasn’t so expensive.
I can’t imagine living in a town without real Mexican food. We have taco trucks and authentic fast food style Mexican spots where I’m at too.
Nothing that Taco Bell has ever made comes close to the quality of a random shady looking taco truck.
Taco Bell <<<<< Taco truck with zero Google reviews
We have a fantastic one nearby in a rundown parking lot that makes their own “crunch wrap supreme” with your choice of meat for $10. These things are probably 5x the volume and density of the Taco Bell version and you don’t have to get Taco Bells shitty Ortega taco seasoned ground beef.
$10? Where? They’re $4.79 here by me in Chicago.
Southern Ontario. It’s in CAD.
I just get the build your own meal for like $5 and get a crunch wrap supreme 4 layer burrito or whatever and nachos and a drink. Idk why someone would bother paying that much for fast food
The only good deal for Taco Bell is taco Tuesday deal. 5 dollars for 3 tacos and a drink. They got a build your own box that’s a good deal too, but everything else is so expensive.
Shit Wendy’s used to have good mobile deals and now they are mostly trash. That new CEO that wanted surge pricing on burgers is fucking up everything with Wendy’s for me.
I’m at a place where the local Mexican restaurant has better dinner deals Mon-Thurs than any fast food around me. Depending on the day it’s like $7-$10. I just gotta watch my drinking there.
The real dystopia is that people are talking about fast food at all. It’s garbage food. Realisticly it’s always been the worst and often most expensive choice.
I too have seen Demolition Man
And I bet you still don’t know how to use the three sea shells
It’s garbage food.
It’s quick, convenient, and explicitly designed to rub all the right parts of your palette. Besides, the worst part of the fast food menu is the soda and fries. The rest of the meal is marginal.
Realisticly it’s always been the worst and often most expensive choice.
Its consistently worse than home cooking. But not everyone has the luxury of a functional kitchen or a stocked fridge or the time to prepare the meal. And as to “most expensive”… hardly. I remember getting Chipotle on campus, when a burrito was $8 and came in at around 1000 calories. Very hard to name another restaurant that offered that kind of value, speed, and convenience.
A lot of what fast food restaurants are banking on today is this over-reliance on their convenience making them an inelastic good. No more home economics classes, teaching young people how to cook. Lots of gig work means people are always on the road. Lots of people living alone. Lots of shitty apartments where major appliances simply don’t work.
You’re stuck, dude. Now give me $15 for a sandwich.
Its consistently worse than home cooking. But not everyone has the luxury of a functional kitchen or a stocked fridge or the time to prepare the meal.
You’re not wrong here. It’s not good food, but it’s easy and touches the makes-me-crave-it neurons, it’s often available in food deserts (where it’s legitimately difficult to really stock a kitchen) and sometimes it’s only cheap in the context of whether or not you have that home infra and time to use it or not.
I just use my privilege (I have a pretty functional kitchen and the ability to stock it mightily) to not fund a business model that looks to me like it’s hostile to labor (yeah you, McDonalds and most of the rest), tends to give money to politics I can’t abide (looking at you, chick-fil-a), and I really prefer to patronize businesses whose employees don’t have the energy of beaten animals. I get that it’s my privilege to do that, but being someone with that to work with, using it appropriately seems the right thing to do.
That’s what I don’t get. Do people actually eat this garbage still? It’s literally toxic trash that costs twice as much as a home cooked meal and tastes like shit. Why???
Step outside your own circumstances and attempt to actually think of reasons why people would want/need to choose fast food. Don’t delude yourself with all the easy reasons to avoid fast food. Those reasons are immaterial in the lives of many.
Because I’m at work/on the road and don’t have a stocked kitchen available?
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If it’s not fast food, it’s Denny’s, Shari’s, Olive Garden, etc, just as bad if not worse for you than fast food.
I’m not trying to make a 45 minute stop to sit down and eat a meal.
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Bad bot
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I’m healthier than 95% of the people I know. I don’t eat fast food all the time. Just when I don’t have a better option. I’d love to have plenty of time and money to make the absolute best choices at all times or better yet just take a pill that meets all my nutritional requirements but that’s not the world I live in.
Don’t cut yourself on that edge
Bro, you need to learn about the hidden cost of being poor.
You can get a hot rotisserie chicken and a freshly made garden salad at most grocery stores and it’ll be cheaper than a McDonald’s combo meal. Way healthier too!
Yeah sure just let me eat an entire rotisserie chicken with my bare hands on the way to my meeting.
I know what you’re saying but you gotta plan your stops more. 9 out of 10 exits have fast food. But 1 out of 10 exits have grocery stores. Grocery stores have prepared food that is healthier.
Fun fact! This chart is just strait up wrong. McDonalds prices are up around 20% compared to wages that are up 28%.
If anything this tells me that that inflation number is bullshit.
What’s bullshit are the cherry-picked numbers on the chart and the jumpy x-axis.
Edit: Article here quotes McDonalds as stating the Big Mac is up 21% since 2019. Sources elsewhere say the sandwich price is actually down since both 2014 and 2019, so who knows. If anything, I would expect Subway to have a higher point on the graph than it does.
Now do since 2014 like the chart
Yes, this.
My wife is charging me 140% more for dinner now, prices are getting insane!
