It’s no secret that since 2021, inflation has gone up tremendously in the United States. The rate of inflation reportedly hit a 41-year high in the summer of 2022. And although it’s slowed down since then, it’s still reportedly steadily increased.
While pretty much every single industry has experienced price hikes across the board, fast-food inflation was especially high. NewsNation reports that “fast-food restaurants have raised menu prices by 60%.” According to the outlet, this is “nearly double the rate of inflation over the same period.”
As a result, folks who still frequent these chains have been looking to save however they can. That is probably why TikToker D. Bates (@clevekid85) was so miffed during a recent visit to Taco Bell. He documented his experience at the drive-thru in a video that’s accrued over 135,000 views.
Round… down? Maybe?
In his video, he blasts Taco Bell’s “audacity” in asking customers if they’d like to round up their orders. These contributions are used for the company’s Live Mas Scholarships for Consumers Program. Furthermore, the chain’s website writes that other “nationwide…scholarships, educational experiences, and community support” benefit from rounded-up transactions.
“And would you like to round up for student education?” the worker asks the TikToker after he places his order. He ordered a loaded beef nacho, two cheesy bean and rice burritos, and two beef stackers.
However, Bates believes it’s in bad taste for the business to ask customers for this extra cash due to the current state of the U.S. economy. He recorded himself proposing an alternative to rounding down to the Taco Bell employee. “I was hoping we can round down for inflation?” he films himself asking the worker.
“$10.55 sir,” the employee replies. “All right,” Bates says, as the video comes to a close.
Bates didn’t think the worker appreciated that suggestion too much.
“The audacity these companies have asking you to round up in this economy. They get mad when you ask them to round down instead,” the TikToker wrote in a text overlay of their video.
@clevekid85 Employee at Tacobell asks if I wana round up for education, then gets upset when I ask them to round down for inflation. #tacobell #roundup #fastfood #inflation #ohno #employee #drivethru ♬ original sound – D. Bates
TikTokers chimed in
Many viewers enjoyed Bates’ reply. One person penned, “This is the only appropriate response to this question.”
Another claimed that while round-up initiatives sound nice, they’re usually a tax write-off for corporations. “I’m not paying your tax burden. stop asking, [expletive] companies,” they wrote.
“This only helps the companies by using our money as donations. Then [they] write off at the end of the year. They use our money to donate for tax writeoffs,” another said.
This is a common complaint from customers who get asked to donate when completing purchases at retail stores.
However, one person in the comments section of the video defended the worker, pointing to the pressures such workers are often under. “I’m a server & management FORCES us to ask for donations or we get in trouble trust me we don’t want to ask lol,” they shared.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Taco Bell via email and to Bates via TikTok comment for further information.
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