11 Overpriced Fast Food Chains That Are a Total Ripoff
Fast food used to be quick and affordable, but that’s not the case anymore. More and more customers are walking away shocked at how much they just paid for a meal that doesn’t feel worth the price.
These overpriced fast food chains are some of the biggest rip-offs, and limiting your visits or skipping them altogether can drastically cut your monthly expenses. Burgers, wings, and sandwiches now come with price tags that make people question if fast food is even a value option anymore.
What fast food joints do you think are overpriced? Comment and let us know.
1. Chipotle
A steak burrito bowl at my local Chipotle costs $11.70, and adding guacamole for another $2.95 brings the total to nearly $15 before tax. That’s without a drink, and it’s just for one person. Imagine the bill if you’re trying to feed your entire family.
For the same price or less, you could get authentic, better-tasting Mexican food at a local taqueria instead of paying premium prices for what’s essentially assembly-line ingredients.
2. Five Guys
Sure, they give you extra fries, but when a burger, fries, and drink combo costs close to a sit-down restaurant, those bonus fries don’t feel like much of a deal. The burgers are decent, but not for the cost.
3. Subway
A footlong with basic toppings just doesn’t feel worth the price when the ingredients are nothing special. Everyone knows the days of $5 footlongs are gone, but the current prices still seem steep for what you’re actually getting.
For just a little more money, you could go to a local sandwich shop and get a better sandwich made with higher-quality ingredients instead.
4. Chick-fil-A
More and more people are noticing how expensive their prices have become. Paying premium prices for a piece of chicken on a bun feels excessive, especially when the portion is smaller than what you’d get at most other places.
The sides are tiny and overpriced, too, making even a simple meal surprisingly expensive.
5. Panera Bread
Panera has built its reputation on being fresh and wholesome, but many customers feel the prices don’t always match what they actually get. On top of that, the quality seems to have slipped in recent years, even as the prices keep climbing.
6. Smash Burger
The burgers are tasty, but the portions are smaller than many competitors, and the price tag feels closer to sit-down dining, rather than fast-casual eating. At the end of the day, you’re still paying restaurant prices for counter service and doing your own cleanup.
7. Jimmy John’s
Paying premium prices for a basic sub that’s mostly bread and a thin layer of meat feels like a rip-off. You can get more food for less money almost anywhere else.
8. Wingstop
Wings have gotten pricey everywhere, but Wingstop takes it to another level. A typical order with a side can leave your wallet lighter than you would expect.
The quality is sometimes inconsistent. Sometimes they’re well-seasoned and flavorful, other times they’re overcooked or lacking toppings.
9. Shake Shack
The burgers are good, we’ll give them that, but when you’re paying premium prices for just a burger, fries, and a drink, it’s hard to see the value. They’ve positioned themselves as upscale fast food, but the portions are small and the prices are high for what you get.
10. Noodles & Company
Pasta dishes cost way more than they should when you realize you’re paying restaurant prices for noodles with basic sauce and minimal protein. The portions look generous, but they are mostly composed of cheap ingredients, making the actual value quite poor.
11. McDonald’s
The once-affordable golden arches faced so many complaints about rising prices that they rolled out new value meals, but feeding a family there is still far more expensive than it used to be.
What was once the go-to for cheap, quick food has some of the most ridiculously high prices for fast food. Not only that, but many customers say the food doesn’t taste as good as it once did. And don’t get us started on the ice cream machines always being “out of service”.
