In a recent report by Joshua Lynch, the hefty price charged by the fast food restaurant, Five Guys, for a bacon cheeseburger and fries combo has stirred a significant uproar on social media. Many consumers are left puzzled as to why a single meal from this fast-food joint is being priced so steeply at nearly $25.
A user known by the moniker ‘X’ brought this issue to the forefront, exposing the exorbitant prices through a photo of a receipt, which he discovered on Reddit. Dissecting the details, it was revealed that a solitary bacon cheeseburger was priced astronomically high at $12.49. The user seemed to be shocked by the cost and voiced his dissatisfaction stating that the “Five Guys prices are out of control. It costs $24 for a single person.”
The controversial receipt shown wasn’t just for the bacon cheeseburger. It also included a soda priced at $2.89 and small fries for $5.19, thereby adding up to a total bill of $21.91. Adding another layer to this episode was the $2.19 tip that sent the total bill soaring past the $24 mark.
The revelation of these prices led to an online furore, as frustrated users voiced their exasperation with what they perceived as very high prices for a meal from what is generally seen as an overrated fast-food restaurant.
Echoing the sentiment, X user stated, “That’s not even factoring in how overrated they are. $10 should be able to get you a premium burger from a higher-end place. The drink and fries should be an additional $5 maximum.”
Another suggested splitting the meal with a friend to lessen the financial burden, while some users shifted their outrage towards the noted tip. “What are you tipping for anyways?” one user questioned, as critics pointed out the irregularity of tipping at a fast-food joint where customers order and pay at the counter.
As inflation continues to hit hard across the country impacting consumer’s wallet, the noteworthy hike in fast-food pricing is a trend that has gripped the nation’s attention. The inflationary pricing is not confined to Five Guys alone. Interestingly, a couple went viral showcasing their clever hack to beat such inflation-hit prices at the same fast-food chain.
In a much-viewed TikTok video, ‘Nate and Sarah’ provided a simple trick. “Next time you’re at Five Guys, just order a double cheeseburger with all the toppings and an extra bun on the side,” they advised, demonstrating how to divide the double cheeseburger into two single ones to make two meals at half the price.
Major fast food chains like Wendy’s also felt the heat of public scrutiny after announcing its proposed ‘dynamic-pricing’ model where prices would fluctuate throughout the day based on demand, similar to Uber’s model. However, Wendy’s spokesperson scaled back the announcement, clarifying that Wendy’s won’t implement surge pricing during the peak hours of customer visitation.
The news story provides a crucial perspective on the rising trend of fast-food price inflation that’s affecting everyday consumers in the US in these challenging economic times.
Vocabulary List:
- inflation (noun): The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising.
- exorbitant (adjective): Unreasonably high; excessive.
- uproar (noun): A situation in which people shout and make a lot of noise because they are angry or upset.
- exasperation (noun): The feeling of being annoyed especially because you can do nothing to solve a problem.
- furore (noun): An outbreak of public anger or excitement.
- noteworthy (adjective): Worthy of notice or attention; remarkable.
