Fast-Food Is More Than Dining Out?

UNITED STATES—This is literally a discussion I have been having with plenty of people as of late because when you start to count your dollars you question where that money you have is going and what you’re spending it on. Dining out vs. eating at home is a cost. The problem I’m seeing is a trend of the cost to eat fast-food is much higher than if you’re actually dining out at a restaurant whether fancy or fast-casual.

I will be frank, I think I have had McDonald’s maybe once in the year 2024, where in the past I might have had it once every two weeks. I have seriously kicked into a habit of cooking at home a lot more than eating out simply because of health benefits and to save money. However, the last time I was at a fast-food restaurant it was like $20 for two people. For a family of four you’re talking $50 to $60.

The problem is you don’t get a lot of food and you tend to be hungry still. I guess that is the point with fast-food, it is fast, but it does not make you full. As a result, if you’re someone who is keen on eating out on a consistent basis, you’re going to spend a lot more money than you should be, and it is going to cause a big hit to your budget.

I recently dined out at a slight fancy restaurant to celebrate my birthday. I thought the prices for the food were decent and for two people, it was about $100 that also included a few drinks. In addition, the food was fantastic, and the experience was one of a kind.

I went to another fast-casual restaurant and had lunch with my dad and the bill was under $30 bucks and it was a three-course meal, and it was fantastic. I was full and I mean full, and I had leftovers. Guess what I never get that bang for my buck as fast-food places, and it makes question why the hell am I eating at establishments like Chick-Fil-A, Shack Shake, Five Guys and so many others where a meal is like $15 or more, and it is like I’m having a snack.

I totally know why people crave pizza because it’s NOT as expensive and you can eat decent food for an affordable price where you have some leftovers for later or the following day. The amount of bread is not good for you, but if you’re eating in moderation, you will indeed be ok, the key is moderation.

I do not expect people to cook at home seven days a week because not even I can do that. You just have those days where you want to have someone prepare the food for you. You want to experience and dine out and have a bit of family time while eating a fantastic meal at the same time. We just have to budget a bit more in terms of what we are actually spending. If you have a budget, you want to ensure that budget is stretched as much as possible, and you do receive your bang for your buck which sometimes you have to be picky where you eat.

The McDonald’s, Taco Bell’s, Wendy’s, Chipotle’s and so many other establishments where your dollar used to stretch a lot more a few years ago, that is not transpiring in today’s society with the constant rise in inflation and the issue of shrinkflation. The aspect of eating out has changed dramatically and it is hitting the wallet a lot harder than people would like to admit. The reality is that the cost of food is on the rise, and it doesn’t look to be changing anytime soon.