Today, across the nation, you're probably paying about twice what you paid in 2014 for a standard fast-food combo meal. From 2014 to 2024 McDonalds saw a 100% increase. Wendy’s 86% increase. Taco Bell 81% increase. For years Farmer Boys was one of California’s guilty pleasures when it came to fast food, but in recent years their prices have swelled to $14.29 for a hamburger. So what’s the problem here? It's increased minimum wages for low-wage workers and the increase of general food prices. Two major factors contributing to rising fast food prices. Energy costs is another. Trucking companies pay more for fuel. That gets passed on to the fast food chains which gets passed on to us.
But all this high cost and what do we get for it? Fast food, which is calorie-dense and often lacks fiber, which can lead to overeating and weight gain. Obesity increases the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Fast food is also high in salt, sugar, saturated fats, trans fats, calories and processed preservatives and ingredients. Remember the old Big Mac jingle -- "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.” That suggests the sandwich has seven components. Would you believe it has 67 ingredients?
In rides our new secretary of health and human services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and not a moment to soon. He has pledged to transform America’s food system vowing to crack down on foods and ingredients he blames for many of the nation’s ills, including ultra-processed foods and food additives. The FDA has been one of the worst agencies in the government. For years they have allowed food companies to feed us ingredients that have been banned in some of the poorest nations in the world. God’s speed Mr. Kenndy.
Now I hate to single out McDonald’s but I’ll leave you with this to chew on or not. A gentleman once bought a Mickey D’s # 2 which for you never McDonalders consists of two cheesebugers, a small fry and a drink. He ate one of the cheeseburgers and the fries and washed it down with the coke. He then put the other cheeseburger, wrapped in it’s little yellow paper, in his jacket pocket to eat latter. Forgetting it was in the pocket, he hung the jacket up in his closet when he got home. Seven months later he took the jacket out and realized the cheeseburger was still in the pocket, still wrapped in it’s little yellow paper. He unwrapped it and you guess it still edible.
It’s just the high cost of unhealthy living.
Written by Walt Ryba March 11, 2025
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