Once a safe haven for late-night post-party food and guaranteed deals, Taco Bell seems to have lost the plot on its pricing.
In a viral video, a woman said she spent way more than she ever expected to at the Mexicanish fast-food joint.
And she isn’t the only one taken aback by the cost of fast food nowadays.
According to a Lending Tree study, nearly 80% of Americans—the overwhelming majority—say that fast food has become so expensive that they now consider it a luxury. Most people said they eat out at fast food restaurants less because of the sticker shock.
A shocking price tag
In a trending video with more than 150,000 views as of Saturday, TikToker Jojo (@jojo.butterflylove) couldn’t believe she had just paid $51 for a meal for two at Taco Bell. The cost could have easily covered dinner for two at a fast-casual sit-down spot like Applebee’s.
Do you know what else you can get with 50 bucks? Here are a few things:
- a midrange kitchen knife
- a portable speaker
- tickets for two at the movie theater
- five months of a music streaming subscription
- a pair of jeans
- two bottles of wine
- a pottery class
“I’m sorry, what?” Jojo says, adding that she got six tacos for her husband, two for her, and a few other items.
“My bank is probably gonna text me and ask me if I really just spent $51 at Taco Bell,” Jojo says she told the cashier jokingly.
Jojo recalls that when she was a teenager, she ate Taco Bell every day with her best friend. They’d get a chili cheese burrito, nachos, and a small Mountain Dew, which cost about $3. Now, that’ll run about $9 to $10.
Already $51 deep, Jojo figured she might as well go all out and treat herself to a McDonald’s cookie tote, which contains 13 fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.
In an email to the Daily Dot, Jojo says she was “sticker shocked” and said two people could “easily eat a meal for $20 not that long ago.”
“$51 made my heart skip a beat!” she wrote. “I will forever eat at Taco Bell, just way less often these days. Also, the cookie totes for under $5 at McDonalds are the BEST! They make them fresh when you order so you have to wait for them, worth every penny and the wait!”
@jojo.butterflylove 🤯 I can no longer afford to eat fast food🤪 @tacobell @McDonald’s #cookietote #dessertfirst ♬ Positive background music such as play and games(1251730) – earbrojp
Fast-food prices keep increasing
At least two studies have found that fast food prices are outpacing inflation, meaning prices for everything are going up, and fast food prices are increasing even more.
In the last decade, fast-food menu prices rose between 39% and 100% on average—that’s well above the rate of inflation during that time, a Finance Buzz study found.
The Street found that in the last three years, some of the most popular menu items at Taco Bell have gone up by, on average, about 57%. Back in 2019, the beefy 5-layer burrito cost $1.69, now it’s more than double at $3.69. And the oh-so-popular Crunchwrap Supreme which used to cost $3.49 is now it’s $5.29.
Finance Buzz found that Taco Bell’s rate of inflation is even higher when you look at the data dating back to the last decade. They found that Taco Bell’s prices have gone up by a whopping 81%. Yikes.
Viewers weigh in
People in the comments section advised Jodi to opt for the $5 box instead or to use the app to get better deals.
Others said they agreed prices were out of hand and shared their own price shocks.
“EVERYTHING IS SO EXPENSIVE EVERYWHERE!!” a commenter wrote.
“I just for my self almost $20,” another said.
One shared, “I spent $60 at KFC a few months ago, I almost fell out of my seat when they told me it was $60! I don’t get it.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Jodi and Taco Bell for comment via email.
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