Fast food used to be an affordable option for a quick meal. But things are changing fast in the United States. A recent study shows that restaurant workers, including those at McDonald’s and Taco Bell, now need to work almost twice as long as the average American to afford a simple fast food combo meal.
How Long Do Fast Food Workers Need to Work?
The financial platform Lending Tree looked at wages and food prices across America. Their study revealed a growing problem: while fast food prices are rising quickly, the salaries of restaurant workers are not keeping up.
On average, a fast food meal in the US costs $11.56. A typical fast food worker earns so little that they must work for 46 minutes just to afford this meal. Meanwhile, the average American worker from other professions only needs to work for about 21.2 minutes to buy the same combo.
City-by-City Breakdown: Where Meals Cost the Most
The study also listed cities where fast food is most expensive. San Francisco, California, tops the list with an average combo meal costing $12.73. Even though California has the highest minimum wage in the US and fast food workers earn $20.67 per hour, they still have to work 36.9 minutes to afford that meal.
Other city workers in San Francisco earn an average of $48.15 per hour, so they only need to work 15.9 minutes to enjoy the same meal.
Next on the list is New York City, followed closely by Los Angeles, where a typical fast food combo costs $12.24. In Seattle, Washington, the price is slightly lower at $12.22.
Where Is Fast Food Still Affordable?
Indianapolis, Indiana, is the cheapest place for fast food in the study. The average combo meal there costs $9.19. Even so, fast food employees in the city must work 39.4 minutes to afford that meal, while the average city worker earning $30.25 per hour only needs to work 18.2 minutes.
Will Fast Food Get More Expensive?
Experts worry that fast food prices might go even higher in the near future. That’s because of new global tariffs introduced by former President Donald Trump. These tariffs make imported goods more expensive.
Fast food chains like McDonald’s are already facing higher costs on key items like beef, palm oil, and coffee. For example, beef from Australia now has a 10% tariff, which could make popular items like the Big Mac even more expensive soon.
The gap between what fast food workers earn and what fast food actually costs is growing bigger. While meals get pricier, the workers making them struggle to afford the same food they serve every day. And with rising import tariffs, fast food prices may continue to climb.
If you’re in America—or even just watching from afar—it’s clear that fast food isn’t as cheap as it once was, especially for the people who prepare it. As inflation and global policies affect everyday items, workers at the bottom of the pay scale are feeling the pressure the most.