METRO DETROIT (WXYZ) — Fast food prices are leaving customers with fewer affordable dining options. Fast food chains like McDonald's, Burger King and Taco Bell are feeling the rising costs of labor, ingredients and transportation, passing the cost onto customers in the form of higher menu prices.
Customers have been noticing these increases, expressing frustration over the higher prices of their favorite fast food items.
I spoke with customers of various fast food restaurants to see how much they're paying.
“Everything is going up it seems like," said Lorre Gordon.
Families looking for a quick option to feed the family have seen inflation take a bite out of their ordering experience. According to a Lending Tree surveyfrom a few months ago, 78 percent of people consider fast food to now be a luxury item because it is becoming expensive.
Since 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says fast food prices have increased 47 percent, which is causing less foot traffic into the restaurants.
I caught up with Gordon at McDonald's picking up lunch.
"We got two diet cokes, a McChicken sandwich and a fry," Gordon said. "I always got Diet Cokes, they used to be on the dollar menu and what are they, $1.59 or $1.79?"
The average meal price right now for a McDonald's Quarter Pounder with cheese meal is $11.99
We spoke with financial expert Michael Scarpati, who says the hike in prices is leading to less foot traffic for fast food chains.
"It's an inflation issue," said Scarpati with CEO Retire USA. "So over the past two years American wages have only increased at about 4% meanwhile inflation has increased at a higher rate so we are starting to feel it everywhere and the consumers are feeling it in these fast food chains."
"We got a kid's meal with a grilled cheese and fries, and I got a spicy chicken sandwich with cheese curds and a root beer," said Brooke, who I caught up with at Culver's. The meal for her and her daughter cost just over $20.
"Anywhere grocery store prices are out of control too," Brooke said"We’re going to enjoy our meal and it is what it is."
