Fast food is out; fast casual is in. People are ditching their go-to fast food chains in favor of affordable restaurants like Chili’s and Applebee’s.
Fast food used to be the reliable option when you needed a quick, delicious, cheap, and probably not too healthy meal.
But consumers have noticed that their cheap eats aren’t so affordable anymore, calling out popular fast food spots, including McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Five Guys, for increasing prices while the food largely remained the same size and quality or even decreased in both areas.
Many chain restaurants hiked prices during the pandemic and in its aftermath due to soaring food prices and supply chain issues, but those prices have yet to come back down to pre-pandemic levels (for the most part).
With people being more budget-conscious due to the rising cost of living and stagnant wages, fast food spots no longer look like the best option. Consumers are starting to figure out that there are better options out there that can get them more bang for their buck.
And fast food executives are finally starting to take notice now that prices are affecting their profits. See, chains including KFC, Taco Bell, Popeyes, Shake Shack, and Wingstop reported that their restaurant sales significantly slowed or even declined compared to around the same time last year, Business Insider reported.
“We’re going to stay careful on pricing,” Gunther Plosch, Wendy’s CFO, said. “We are expecting low-single-digit pricing that the system is going to execute this year. I don’t think we’re going to get too greedy.”
And they shouldn’t get too greedy—because the fast-casual chains are coming to take a cut of their profits.
In a viral video with more than 200,000 views, Erin (@queenerinthe1st) notes out that it costs just about the same amount (or sometimes cheaper) to sit and eat at a Chili’s than it is to grab a meal from Wendy’s.
“These fast food places is not fast fooding like they once did,” Erin says.
She points out that she had no reason to go to Wendy’s when she could go to Chili’s and get a $10 lunch that includes a starter, entree, and a drink for a buck more. (That ends up being about $13 with a 20% tip.)
In comparison, you can easily spend $11 to $16 on a meal at Wendy’s.
“You might as well go to a good restaurant while your kids is gone to school,” Erin says. “…Go get the lunch price for the same thing you would have paid double for at dinner time. And you will be spending less money than you would spend in a fast food place. Free game.”
And she may be onto something. Places like Chili’s and Applebee’s usually serve larger quantities (the meal is bigger, and you can usually get an entree and appetizer) and have more options for customizing your food, like letting you pick from an array of sides.
If you’re looking for a spot to try that isn’t fast food, here are some options:
- Applebee’s
- Chili’s
- Texas Roadhouse
- Olive Garden
- Red Lobster
- Denny’s
@queenerinthe1st Fast food is insane!! #fastfood #inflation #pricegouging #chilis #lunch #lunchdate #food #queenerin #theerinexperience #fypシ゚viral ♬ original sound – QueenErin LaShaun
This isn’t the first time someone has taken to the internet to point out that fast-casual dining might be the new wave. Another customer shared that her Chili’s meal was cheaper than a McDonald’s meal.
People in the comment section largely agreed with Erin.
“I spent $18.60 on 4 soft tacos at Taco Bell yesterday. What are we doing?!?” a person shared.
“Longhorn was cheaper than Panera for me once lol,” another added.
“Chili’s is it! Side salad, burger, fries, and a drink $10.99+tax. And the burger is real beef and huge!” a commenter wrote.
Even Chili’s stepped into the chat, commenting “PERIOD.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Erin via TikTok direct message and Chili’s and Wendy’s via email.
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