When did Fast Food become so Expensive !

[tjthemanto]

When did fast food become so expensive ?

Just 2-3 years back, what used to be a standard 5 bucks fast food meal has become a 8-9 bucks and with tax almost 10 bucks meal for 1 person.

Heck for 10 bucks you can get a decent meal at some value restaurants, might as well go there instead . Fast food used to be cheap junk food, now its expensive junk food !

I hardly eat out any more. All joints whether its burger,fries, pizza, Chicken, Sandwiches, Mall food courts etc , ALL have become expensive ! You name ii McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Pizza etc.

Plus quality and quantity is not there either ! Literally you can't buy any lousy thing these days without your bill being 10 bucks for 1 person ! Who can afford that for lunch anymore ?

I bought some lousy chow mein noodles with a few pieces of chicken for $ 8.49 + Tax at a shopping mall food court yesterday. So almost 10 bucks. Nothing in the food court was below that at atleast 20 joints there. It was not even filling and the portions were quite small. If I had a drink, maybe it would have been even a lot more.

[Shwa Girl]

OP, I think there have been some great brags since January 2016, where SCs have been able to get food at a great price. Now, what you do with this food, and how long it takes to prepare the food, is the person's own perogative.

So, one 'fast food' we have used is eggs. Getting 18 eggs for $1.99 earlier this year was amazing.
You can have eggs for dinner. Even if you can't do fancy schmancy things with eggs, at least you can boil them. Add bread, cereal, milk and juice and you have
Voila
Breakfast for Dinner.

Hope that helps. And You Tube helps too.

[Natalka]

Fast food is definitely doable only with coupons these days - McD, KFC, A&W - and they are out for BK too, but we will only go there occasionally on Whopper Wednesday.
For myself, I can get away with spending $5 and be full for supper - but my husband eats a lot, so that has to be a consideration as well.

Mall food - well, that depends where you are and what's available. Here we have two malls with specific restaurant locations where we can get huge meals for $8 - and for $10, there's enough left for supper the next day.

Otherwise, for a ready-made meal, look out for deals at the grocery stores. Here, the best roast chicken is at Sobey's, and it's $10 - then it's just a matter of getting sides.

Of course, homemade is best and cheaper - but we all need a break from cooking sometimes!

[seylz_gurl]

Fast food is a once in awhile thing for us. I admit I was shocked to spend $30 for 3 combos at A&W the other day when I forgot my coupons. Find the kids were hungry again an hour afterwards. I prefer to pick up a ready made salad and cut up fruit and a prepared pizza to pop in the oven when I need a break from cooking.

[abbasgirl]

I've noticed that too. Fast food restaurants have never been a regular thing for me and I stopped going completely when I got tested for food sensitivities years ago. But I get coupons in my mailbox all the time and I always shake my head at what's considered a good deal. KFC especially has gone through the roof!
I agree that when you want to go out for the evening, full-service restaurants are often a better deal and when you don't have time or energy to cook, grocery store salads and prepared foods are the best way to go. Cheap eggs etc are great for everyday. But sometimes you just need a break from food prep and dishes.

[tjthemanto]

I mean thesedays I literally go to McDonalds and just buy their Coffee and come out ! ..after I see their prices !

Maybe just 2-3 years back, I would actually eat something in there. You could go to a Pizza place and get a slice for a couple of bucks, not that far back and now its the price of a small pizza

I think breakfast deals at Fast food and Coffee joints are still good and decent, but anything for lunch and dinner has gone through the roof ! Even their everday specials are getting less and less thesedays !

Toonie Tuesday later changed to Tuesday Special at my local KFC at 2.99 + Tax , which is good price has been completely eliminated ! No longer Tuesday special at my KFC, pretty much the only time I used to go there, so I have stopped going to KFC completely.

[Purdee]

i was at the mall today and got a 3 items combo at the food court - it came with choice of rice or noodles. Total was $11.05 tax included. Yikes!

i've always found that fast food is way more expensive in Canada than US. We go to the states at least once a year visiting families and that's when i go nuts on fast food like wendy's and kfc. We were there in March, and had the kfc buffet for $8 US - all you can eat chicken and sides. Even their typical buffet like Golden Corral is cheaper. A decent buffet in Alberta is around $30/person and that's with a club discount of 10% off.

[Chantel]

I find the same -- the chains are getting ridiculously expensive. You're better off going to a local place. The chain Chinese place in the mall has a small-quantity meal for one for about $10, but for $11, we can go to a local place and get a combo so big it can feed two people easily, and it tastes so much better.

I almost never get pizza anymore. Too expensive unless you want total garbage. I prefer frozen pizza over some of the stuff we have here at a decent price. I get Papa John's during football season when it's 50% off but no other times.

We used to stop at safeway and get their chicken tenders for lunch as they were a fairly good value, but they've changed the ones they use and the new ones suck.

[samm07]

We go to east sides usually. Wednesday kids eat free. Our meal always is around $30-$40 dollars for our family of 4. So cheaper then fast food. And leftovers. We still get Wendy's more then we should. But at that point we are paying for the convenience. Subway has a 2 for $15 deal right now and that's a pretty awesome price! Any foot long too! Hubby is over the moon he can get the "expensive" subs lol! But I agree fast food is not cheap at all.


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[walkonby]

I feel your pain @tjthemanto My eldest ( single guy ) is on his own and for him to try to shop wisely and then find the time to actually cook when he gets home ( late most nights ) is a task he often avoids. Plus Supermarkets aren't giving singles the best deals on groceries, he just cannot use up most produce fast enough when he buys it. That is why he chooses to eat out more than us, but Metro offers decent " meal " combos every weekday and he said one lasts him for 2 meals.

[samm07]

I feel your pain @tjthemanto My eldest ( single guy ) is on his own and for him to try to shop wisely and then find the time to actually cook when he gets home ( late most nights ) is a task he often avoids. Plus Supermarkets aren't giving singles the best deals on groceries, he just cannot use up most produce fast enough when he buys it. That is why he chooses to eat out more than us, but Metro offers decent " meal " combos every weekday and he said one lasts him for 2 meals.

Tuesday roast chickens are awesome! $7.99 and it last our family of four one dinner and two lunches or two dinners (quesadillas the next day) he could get s chicken and reinvent it for lunches even all well! But I get it. When it was just my husband and I it was super hard to find items in packs of two (meat especially before we had a deep freezer) without spending way more!

[tjthemanto]

i was at the mall today and got a 3 items combo at the food court - it came with choice of rice or noodles. Total was $11.05 tax included. Yikes!

i've always found that fast food is way more expensive in Canada than US. We go to the states at least once a year visiting families and that's when i go nuts on fast food like wendy's and kfc. We were there in March, and had the kfc buffet for $8 US - all you can eat chicken and sides. Even their typical buffet like Golden Corral is cheaper. A decent buffet in Alberta is around $30/person and that's with a club discount of 10% off.

The quantity , toppings are larger too in US. I often find the fries, burgers and pizza to be bigger and cheaper in US than Canada for the exact same chain in Canada !

[tjthemanto]

I find the same -- the chains are getting ridiculously expensive. You're better off going to a local place. The chain Chinese place in the mall has a small-quantity meal for one for about $10, but for $11, we can go to a local place and get a combo so big it can feed two people easily, and it tastes so much better.

I almost never get pizza anymore. Too expensive unless you want total garbage. I prefer frozen pizza over some of the stuff we have here at a decent price. I get Papa John's during football season when it's 50% off but no other times.

We used to stop at safeway and get their chicken tenders for lunch as they were a fairly good value, but they've changed the ones they use and the new ones suck.

I have been to AYCE buffets at Indian and Chinese restaurants for $ 10 bucks ! No way I am paying 10 bucks at Mcdonalds for a Burger, Fries and Cola Combo !

[nicolthepickle]

I agree, I took my kiddos out for McDonalds the other day and it was a LOT! It was a treat so I didn't mind it for just once, but I agree. It's better to go to Swiss Chalet or so.

[Frugalbigmama]

I can't believe how much people eat out at these junk places. Even if it cost a $1 meal- yuck.

KFC has got to be the worst in my opinion. My kids are lucky if they get it every 18 mths. And even after they eat if they say how bad it is. I just don't like spending money on garbage.