Once upon a time, many people relied on chain restaurants for affordable but delicious meals. However, in recent years, everything has gotten more expensive. Now, even some fast food restaurants that used to boast extensive dollar menus are prohibitively expensive. Here are seven restaurant chains customers say cost too much.
McDonald’s
Customers have been complaining for years that McDonald’s has gotten prohibitively expensive. “Took my children to McDonalds for a rare treat and ordered a double quarter pounder meal (large so I can tax the fries) and a cheeseburger kids meal. Total came to $24.99!!! I couldn’t believe it! 2 meals $25!” ranted one Redditor. “I remember getting 2 mchickens and a large Coke for $3 in 2017. Now 1 McChicken is like $3.79,” another said.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell offers many affordable items. However, customers complain that customizations can raise the cost of an already expensive item to the next level. “I went to Taco Bell for the first time in about 5 years this week, and I was so shocked at how thin and skimpy the crunchwraps were, that I took mine apart and pulled all the ground beef out to weigh it on my kitchen scale. 1.2 ounces. And that’s with bits of sauce and sour cream and whatnot on it,” one Redditor said. “A crunchwrap at my local Taco Bell is $7.19. There is absolutely no reason for me to buy fast food anymore. Nowadays it’s more expensive than a sit-down restaurant and you don’t actually get any food in the food. It’s unreal.” Another said: “Taco Bell for two people is like 24 dollars now. It is insane. A single taco is like 2.50.”
Chick‑fil‑A
Redditors are complaining that while Chick-Fil-A isn’t raising prices, their shrinkflation strategy is getting out of control. The chain “has to be the worst of all the fast food places in terms of shrinkflation. We used to really enjoy their food but for the price of a meal at a sit down place, including tip, we can get more and better food,” one Redditor said. “I sadly gave up on chick fil a because stuff like this and the price going up. It’s just not worth it anymore even though it tastes good,” another commented.
KFC
KFC has also gotten expensive, several customers complain. “A $2 chicken tender. 2 drumsticks the size of my finger. And a thigh piece half the size of my palm. Side note – I’m a 5 foot female with small hands…” one Redditor shared, alongside a picture of her order as evidence.
Five Guys
While the quality is great at Five Guys, some customers complain you don’t get a lot of bang for the buck. “I do like Five Guys, but on the other hand I only go there once a year tops… I certainly wouldn’t be paying that kind of money on a regular basis,” one Redditor says. “The Five guys in my town closed down this year. They couldnt get enough people to pay those prices,” another claimed.
Subway
A lot of people had gripes about the price of subs at Subway. “Why is subway so expensive? I don’t think it’s sustainable for them to make their prices so expensive,” says one. “Seriously. $16.29 or thereabouts for a footlong. I might as well go to a sit down restaurant and pay just a touch more for better quality/ quantity of food,” one Redditor complains.
Denny’s
Customers are shocked by rising costs at Denny’s. “DENNYS: where you can order a 18$ plate for one person instead of making it at home for 4 people for the same price,” one person writes. “Dennys is trash. The most basic breakfast for 200% markup on portions. I will happily see them go out of business,” another adds.
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