New Study: This Is the Most Overpriced Fast-Food Chain in America
For fast-food lovers, meals aren’t the only things that have been supersized. Prices are getting steeper across fast-food restaurants nationwide. In fact, costs have risen by nearly 50% in the past decade, making hitting up your favorite fast-food joint feel more like a splurge than savings. But according to a recent study, one fast-food chain reigns supreme as the most overpriced in the country.
Keep reading to find out which fast-food restaurant customers consider overpricedand which other chains have diners feeling the pinch.
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How did the study determine the most overpriced fast-food chain?
In a recent study, language-learning platform Preply analyzed over 57,000 Google reviews of more than 10,000 restaurants in the top 50 major U.S. cities. Zeroing in on the language reviewers used to describe overpriced restaurants, the analysis looked at how often words like “pricey,” “expensive,” “overpriced” and “rip-off” appeared. These terms helped Preply determine which restaurants are perceived as overcharging and underdelivering.
Which is the most overpriced fast-food restaurant in America?
According to Preply’s study, Shake Shack received the most complaints of any national chain about its food being overly expensive. This comes after two price hikes in 2024.
Like most restaurant chains, Shake Shack’s prices vary from one location to the next. But customers across America are crying “overpriced.” The cost of a single hamburger, or ShackBurger as it’s called, typically falls between $6.99 and $7.99, depending on the region. Want fries to go with that? An order will run you around $4.49, bringing your grand total to at least $11.48, and that’s not including one of its namesake shakes or other beverage.
Why is the food at Shake Shack so expensive?
Some people may look at Shake Shack’s price tags and consider the food overpriced, but there’s a reason for the chain’s higher prices. For starters, Shake Shack uses only high-quality, fresh ingredients. The restaurant even has its own proprietary blend of antibiotic- and hormone-free, vegetarian-fed and humanely raised beef.
Shake Shack also uses other top-tier ingredients, like Martin’s Potato Rolls, relish from Rick’s Picks and 100% cage-free eggs for making custards. These gourmet ingredients aren’t cheap, so neither are Shake Shack’s menu items. Besides, the high-quality ingredients elevate the burgers above typical fast-food fareone reason you’ll soon be able to enjoy Shake Shack on Delta flights.
What’s more, Shake Shack makes every single item to order. So even though it may feel like a fast-food restaurant, it’s more like casual dining. Plus, each Shake Shack restaurant is built from sustainable materials and includes features like giant windows and outdoor dining areas that set the space apart from other burger chains.
What other fast-food restaurants are considered overpriced?
Shake Shack isn’t the only fast-food restaurant with high prices. Five Guys and Carl’s Jr. rounded out the top three spots for most overpriced fast-food chains.
At Five Guys, burgers with two beef patties cost between roughly $9 and $13, depending on where in the country you dineand that’s before you add the famous Five Guys fries. Carl’s Jr.’s prices also vary from one location to the next, but a single hamburger is typically between $6.19 and $6.79.
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Sources:
- Preply: “Study reveals the cities with the most overpriced restaurants”
- USA Today: “Not-so-happy meal: As fast food prices surge, many Americans say it’s become a luxury”
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