McDonald's fans stunned at how much a burger and fries cost you 10 years ago compared to now
- The average cost of menu items at McDonald's doubled over the last decade
- That is more than three times the rate of inflation between 2014 and 2024
- Fans of the chain have reacted: 'Would you say menu prices have McDoubled?'
The averge price of burgers, fries and drinks at McDonald's has doubled in just a decade - but some items have gone up even more.
A recent report covered by DailyMail.com showed, for example, how McChicken has gone from $1 to $2.99 and a Quarter Pounder with cheese meal from $5.30 to $11.99.
Now fans - or former fans - of America's biggest fast food chain have given their verdict on Reddit after a user posted the price changes.
One person joked in response: 'Would you say the menu prices have collectively McDoubled?'
And one Redditor was blunt: 'Its a stupid move - they only hold a marketshare by being cheap fastfood. With higher prices, people will go elsewhere for better quality.'
![Over the last decade, the average cost of an assortment of typical menu items at McDonald's has doubled. Pictured are items to have increased in price the most](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/18/12/83245715-13426595-Over_the_last_decade_the_average_cost_of_an_assortment_of_typica-a-8_1716030495070.jpg)
Over the last decade, the average cost of an assortment of typical menu items at McDonald's has doubled. Pictured are items to have increased in price the most
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One pointed out an item missing from the research - which they say has risen the most.
'How dare they leave out the most egregious price hike - hash browns! I think they were $.89 each in 2014 and are now $3.19 each.' wrote one person.
Someone replied: '$3.19 for a hashbrown is ludicrous. It's literally fried potatoes.'
WeirdAvocado said: 'Spend a little more and go to non chain burger joints. The quality of everything is way better.'
Some backed popular west coast chain In-N-Out, which is known for only using freshburger patties and amd real potatoes for its fries - and paying staff well.
'It's cheaper to get a double double cheeseburger meal at in n out (where there's way more employees working) than it is to get a quarter pounder meal with kiosks everywhere… it's not even real food. so processed,' wrote Icetelee.
AlarmingSpend988 suggested customers vote with their wallets, writing: 'Everyone is complaining but not enough of you guys are avoiding McDonald’s. Of course they’re going to raise prices.'
RageSquid12 joked that McDonald's had put up the prices to compensate for falling sales: 'Sir, people have stopped going to our establishmets! Our sales are down almost 4%!'
'Quick! Increase the menu prices again to compensate!'
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Snidgrogen said that they thought while prices had gone up, quality had gone down.
'Interesting considering their quality control has gone down by 100% during the same time period,' they wrote.
Customers were not just fed up with prices and quality - but complained about the speed of service.
SnootcherGoobers wrote: 'Top it off with longer wait times. Once upon a time it was ok because the food was cheap and you could go through the drive through pretty quickly.
'Price and speed made up for quality. Now, I could just as easily go to a sit down restaurant for almost the same cost and time with the benefit of better food. We very rarely go there now.'
Both Chilli's and Applebee's have recently launched deals for $10 burgers meals - which they tout as bigger and are served by waiting staff.
Portions appearing smaller at McDonald's was a complaint too.
'Everything goes up and the weight of it all goes down.... greed,' wrote HalfBakedMason.
AlarmingSpend988 suggested customers vote with their wallets, writing: 'Everyone is complaining but not enough of you guys are avoiding McDonald’s. Of course they’re going to raise prices.'
Another blasted: 'PROFITFLATION! using God damn covid as the cover.'
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McDonald's prices have been under scrutiny after bosses admitted it had lost customers put off by price rises over the past two years.
But new research by FinanceBuzz shows the scale of price rises over 10 years. In that time, the average cost of a selection of its top menu items has doubled. Some items cost three times as much.
That is more than three times the official rate of inflation - the cost of goods has risen 31 percent since 2014, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Then, a Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal and an Oreo McFlurry would set you back less than $8. Now, that combo would cost more than twice that at about $16.50.
In the rest of the US economy $8 in 2014 would be worth about $10.50 now.
Some menu items have gotten more expensive faster - a McChicken was just a dollar in 2014 but is now three times the price.
Medium fries have more than doubled in price, from $1.59 to $3.79 this year. A McDouble was $1.19 then but $3.19 now.
Other items have been less vulnerable to price hikes. The cost of a medium drink increased less than inflation - $1.29 a decade ago but still only $1.61.
It comes as photos of high prices at some McDonald's restaurants have gone viral, including a single Egg McMuffin for $7.29 and a Big Mac for $8.39.
![Kim Kardashian eating a McDonald's Big Mac to celebrate the burger's 40th birthday in Malibu in 2008](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/18/12/83242667-13426595-Kim_Kardashian_eating_a_McDonald_s_Big_Mac_to_celebrate_the_burg-a-6_1716030495066.jpg)
Kim Kardashian eating a McDonald's Big Mac to celebrate the burger's 40th birthday in Malibu in 2008
![Pictured is a McDonald's restaurant in 2014. Back then a Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal and an Oreo McFlurry was less than $8](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/18/12/83244937-13426595-Pictured_is_a_McDonald_s_restaurant_in_2014_Back_then_a_Quarter_-a-9_1716030495154.jpg)
Pictured is a McDonald's restaurant in 2014. Back then a Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal and an Oreo McFlurry was less than $8
Neil Saunders, managing director of consultancy GlobalData Retail, told DailyMail.com this year that consumers are getting tired of the price hikes.
'The problem is that places like McDonald's were once inexpensive treats but are now becoming expensive luxuries. And customers are tired of perpetual price increases,' he said.
McDonald's questioned some of the prices in FinanceBuzz's report and added: 'Value is part of McDonald's DNA, and we're committed to offering customers great value through everyday affordable pricing plus special offers and deals on our app and through the MyMcDonald's Rewards program.'