Fast food chains, including McDonald’s, are launching new meal deals in an effort to combat soaring fast food prices under the current administration led by President Joe Biden. The prices of fast food items have increased dramatically since 2019, with a reported 33% rise according to the Department of Labor. To put this into context, grocery prices have seen a 26% increase during the same period.
McDonald’s has introduced a new $5 meal deal featuring a choice between a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, small fries, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, and a small soft drink. The introduction of this affordable meal option comes as a response to the significant increase in fast food prices over recent years.
The cost of a typical fast food meal has risen considerably since 2018. For example, the Big Mac Value Meal now costs $18 in some locations, which is an increase of $10 compared to prices during former President Donald Trump’s administration. The McDouble sandwich, which used to cost $1.19 on average in 2014, now sells for $3.19, almost three times that amount. Medium fries have increased from $1.59 to $3.79, as reported by the New York Post.
McDonald’s ten-piece McNugget meal, priced at $10.99 and including fries and a drink, now costs $5.00 – an 83% increase from its 2014 price. Joe Erlinger, McDonald’s USA president, acknowledged the impact of inflation on the fast-food industry in a statement made in May.
Inflationary pressures have affected all sectors of the economy, including ours,” said Erlinger. Our franchisees (who own and operate more than 95% of all restaurants in the U.S.) set menu prices for their restaurants, which account for the increased costs of running their businesses.
Economists believe that the significant price increases across all goods and services are hurting President Biden’s re-election chances. A recent Monmouth University poll found that 87% of Americans think his policies have either hurt or had no impact on inflation, which is currently the number one issue among respondents. The poll also revealed that about half of American families (46%) struggle to maintain financial stability – a number higher than during Trump’s administration.
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former GOP War Room Analyst. He is the author of “Politics of Slave Morality.” Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.