Inflation in the US is at a record high of 7.7%, which affects all sectors including fast-food restaurants.
Price comparison experts at Pricelisto.com have analyzed data from September 2021 to October 2022 showing the menu price data from five popular fast-food chains.
The data shows that many popular foods have increased in price, with Burger King’s Chicken Fries having the largest increase of 16% and now costs $4.64 as opposed to $3.97 in 2021. This is closely followed by Chick-Fil-A’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich which has increased by 10% and now costs $7.23.
Pricelisto.com has found that Wendy’s has overtaken Burger King to become the most expensive fast-food chain in 2022 with an average price of $6.63, an increase of 35% from 2021 and the largest increase across the last year.
Chick-Fil-A has seen the second largest price increase across the last 12 months, with an average price of $4.65 for their products, an increase of 15.6% from 2021.
Taco Bell has seen the third largest increase as the average price for their products in 2022 is $3.37. This is an increase of 14.6% from 2021.
Burger King has one of the lowest increases in price. The average price of a product at Burger King in 2022 is $5.14, an increase of 2% from 2021.
McDonald’s has always been a cheaper option for many who enjoy fast food. Overall, the average price of a product at McDonald’s in 2022 is $3.77, a decrease of 5% from 2021.
“With the busy lives we lead, turning to fast-food is the easiest option for many people,” a spokesperson with Pricelisto.com said. “It is interesting to see how chains have responded to the rise in inflation and shipping costs for their ingredients. The price of wages, transportation and energy all contribute to a higher end price for the consumer but larger chains such as McDonald’s are able to mitigate this with brand deals and bulk buying.”
The following chart explains which items have seen the largest increases on fast food menus.
| Brand | Item | Price (Sep 21) | Price (May 22) | Price (Oct 22) | Difference ($) |
| McDonalds | Big Mac | 5.3 | 5.58 | 5.47 | +0.17 |
| French Fries | 2.34 | 2.49 | 2.25 | -0.09 | |
| Egg McMuffin | 4.21 | 4.46 | 4.43 | +0.22 | |
| Double Cheeseburger | 2.91 | 3.28 | 2.88 | -0.03 | |
| McChicken | 1.97 | 2.33 | 2.01 | +0.04 | |
| Quarter Pounder | 5.44 | 5.7 | 5.58 | +0.14 | |
| Burger King | Whopper | 6.07 | 4.61 | 5.8 | -0.27 |
| Double Whopper | 7.42 | 5.56 | 7.03 | -0.39 | |
| Chicken Fries | 3.97 | 4.09 | 4.64 | +0.67 | |
| Original Chicken Sandwich | 5.89 | 3.71 | 5.4 | -0.49 | |
| Whopper Jr | 2.97 | 2.34 | 2.81 | -0.16 | |
| Wendy’s | Baconator | 12.13 | 12.74 | 9.62 | -2.51 |
| Spicy Chicken Sandwich | 6.45 | 6.71 | 6.33 | -0.12 | |
| Dave’s Single | 5.99 | 6.35 | 6.31 | +0.32 | |
| Dave’s Double | 7.33 | 7.74 | 7.69 | +0.36 | |
| Double Stack | 3.35 | 3.66 | 3.22 | -0.13 | |
| Chick-Fil-A | Chicken Sandwich | 4.96 | 5.62 | 5.47 | +0.51 |
| Grilled Chicken Sandwich | 6.57 | 7.32 | 7.23 | +0.66 | |
| Hash Browns | 1.63 | 1.89 | 1.81 | +0.18 | |
| Chick-N-Minis | 5.31 | 5.65 | 4.63 | -0.68 | |
| Egg White Grill | 3.65 | 4 | 4.1 | +0.45 | |
| Taco Bell | Chicken Quesadilla | 5.82 | 5.76 | 4.56 | -1.26 |
| Nachos BellGrande | 6.04 | 6.15 | 4.69 | -1.35 | |
| Crunchwrap Supreme | 5.64 | 5.62 | 4.42 | -1.22 | |
| Soft Taco | 2.08 | 1.95 | 1.59 | -0.49 | |
| Crunchy Taco | 2.06 | 1.94 | 1.58 | -0.48 |
Samantha edits our personal finance and consumer news section. Have a question or lead? Send it to [email protected].