Holy McCow! These Fast Food Restaurants Have Raised Their Prices the Most in the Last Five Years
Fast food prices across major chains in the United States have surged over the last five years, outpacing general inflation and leaving consumers paying significantly more for burgers, tacos, and fries amid rising costs for labor, ingredients, and supply chains.
Here’s the TL;DR...
McDonald’s tops the list with some menu items doubling or tripling in price since 2021, driven by broad increases across its offerings.
Popeyes and Taco Bell follow closely, with hikes exceeding 80% on average for key items over the period.
Fast-casual spots like Chipotle have seen 75% jumps, while traditional chains like Wendy’s and Burger King average around 55%.
Overall, fast food inflation hit peaks of 7.7% in 2022, moderating to 3.3% by late 2025, but cumulative rises remain steep.
Reasons include supply chain disruptions, wage pressures, and corporate profit expansions, with prices not always dropping when costs stabilize.
Which Fast Food Chains Have Experienced the Steepest Price Increases Since 2021?
McDonald’s has raised prices the most among major fast food chains in the last five years. Data shows its average menu costs doubled from 2014 to 2024, with much of that acceleration happening post-2021 due to pandemic-era inflation. Specific hikes, like the McChicken sandwich jumping from $1 to $3, represent a 200% increase.
Popeyes comes in second for price escalations over the recent period. The chain’s menu items rose 86% on average from 2014 to 2024, but focused data from 2019 onward highlights even sharper jumps, such as its four-piece chicken dinner climbing from $7 to $13.79 by 2024—a 97% uptick.
Taco Bell ranks third among chains with the highest price rises in the past five years. Its offerings increased 81% overall from 2014 to 2024, with post-2021 data showing items like the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito surging 132% from $1.59 to $3.69.
Chipotle, often grouped with fast food for its quick-service model, saw 75% average increases over the decade, with recent years accounting for the bulk. Burritos and bowls that cost under $7 in 2021 now often exceed $10.50.
Wendy’s and Burger King tie for more moderate but still notable hikes, around 55% from 2014 to 2024.
What Factors Drove These Fast Food Price Hikes Over the Last Five Years?
Inflation played a key role in fast food price increases since 2021. Food-away-from-home costs rose 3.9% in 2021, peaked at 7.7% in 2022, and settled at 3.3% by December 2025, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
Labor costs contributed significantly to the rises, especially minimum wage increases in states like California. Supply chain issues—including avian flu outbreaks affecting poultry and eggs—added to the strain.
Corporate profits also factored in. About 54% of inflation from 2021–2023 stemmed from expanded margins rather than pure cost passthroughs, according to economic analyses.
How Have Iconic Menu Items Fared in Terms of Price Changes?
The Big Mac rose from about $3.99 in 2019 to $7.29 by 2025—an 83% increase. Medium fries jumped 134% over the same span.
Popeyes’ chicken sandwich climbed from $3.99 in 2019 to $5.99 or more.
Taco Bell’s Cheesy Gordita Crunch doubled from $2.49 to $4.99.
Chipotle’s chicken burrito bowl rose from roughly $6.50 in 2021 to $10.50 by 2025.
Burger King’s Whopper meal climbed from $6.76 in 2021 to around $10 by 2025.
Are There Fast Food Chains That Kept Price Increases Relatively Low?
Subway and Starbucks posted the lowest increases at around 39% over the decade.
Chick-fil-A averaged 55%, but individual items rose less aggressively.
Panera Bread and Arby’s landed in the mid-50% range, leaning on bundles and promotions.
What Impact Have These Price Rises Had on Consumers and the Industry?
Rising prices sparked backlash and traffic declines in 2025, particularly among lower-income consumers. Chains responded with value menus and limited-time deals.
Forecasts suggest moderation ahead, but cumulative increases remain a burden.
Fast food’s affordability has taken a hit over the last five years, with chains like McDonald’s and Popeyes leading the charge. As costs stabilize, companies face pressure to restore value—or risk losing customers who now think twice before hitting the drive-thru.
Hat Tips
CNET, “These Fast Food Restaurants Increased Their Prices the Most Last Year,” July 2, 2025
Visual Capitalist, “Charted: Inflation Across U.S. Fast Food Chains (2014–2024),” July 12, 2024
National Restaurant Association, “Menu Prices | Economic Indicators,” accessed January 2026
FinanceBuzz, “Is Fast Food Affordable Anymore? Here’s How Menu Prices Have Changed Over the Years,” January 2026
U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, “Food Price Outlook – Summary Findings,” December 15, 2025
Eat This Not That, “10 Fast-Food Chains Where Prices Just Went Up Again,” April 1, 2025
Daily Kos, “Fast Food Companies Raised Prices for Inflation. Forgot to Lower Them When Costs Went Down,” November 19, 2025
Article Compiled and Edited by Derek Gibbs on January 19, 2026 for Clownfish TV D/REZZED.
Solid breakdown of the pricing spiral. What really caught my attention was that 54% stat about profit margin expansions versus actual cost passthroughs from 2021-2023. Once I started tracking prices at my local Popeyes, the pattern became pretty obvious, they'd bump prices up quick when costs rose but never dropped them when supply stabilzied. Classic asymetric pricing.