With fast food prices increasing by an average of 60% over the past decade, personal-finance company WalletHub has published its updated report on the States Where People Spend the Most & Least on Fast Food, highlighting where these purchases place the greatest strain on Americans’ budgets.
To assess where consumers spend the most and least relative to their income, WalletHub analyzed average prices for burgers, pizza, and fried chicken sandwiches across all 50 states and compared them with each state’s median household income.
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/
To assess where consumers spend the most and least relative to their income, WalletHub analyzed average prices for burgers, pizza, and fried chicken sandwiches across all 50 states and compared them with each state’s median household income.
| Highest % of Income Spent | Lowest % of Income Spent |
| 1. Mississippi (0.48%) | 41. Washington (0.32%) |
| 2. Arkansas (0.44%) | 42. Colorado (0.32%) |
| 3. Louisiana ( 0.44%) | 43. Virginia (0.31%) |
| 4. New Mexico (0.44%) | 44. Minnesota (0.31%) |
| 5. West Virginia (0.44%) | 45. New Hampshire (0.30%) |
| 6. Alabama (0.44%) | 46. Connecticut (0.30%) |
| 7. Montana (0.43%) | 47. Utah (0.29%) |
| 8. Kentucky (0.42%) | 48. Massachusetts (0.29%) |
| 9. Oklahoma (0.41%) | 49. Maryland (0.28%) |
| 10. Florida (0.40%) | 50. New Jersey (0.27%) |
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/
“With fast food prices rising by an average of 60% over the past decade, it’s fair for consumers to wonder whether the convenience of having food in minutes is really even worth it anymore. Where you live can have a big impact on how much you shell out for fast food, too; it costs around 1.8 times more in the most expensive states than the cheapest states, relative to the median income.”
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“Mississippians pay more for fast food relative to their income than anyone else in the country. Buying just one fast-food burger, a small pizza, and a fried chicken sandwich costs residents 0.48% of the median monthly household income. For comparison, the same purchases would only cost 0.27% of the median monthly household income in Massachusetts.”
- Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst
What tips do you have to help people avoid overspending on fast food?
“Deleting food apps is the quickest way to save your wallet from a financial horror show because those sneaky digital middleman markups are getting out of hand. Relying on delivery services easily inflates a modest 15-dollar drive-thru craving into a jaw-dropping 35-dollar bill once you tack on service fees, surcharges, and tips. To fight back against insane price hikes, consider these tips: Delete third-party delivery apps to completely eliminate hidden service fees and heavy delivery surcharges. Download official restaurant apps directly to unlock hidden loyalty points and deep promotional discounts. Keep quick convenience meals at home to eliminate the late-night impulse drive-thru trips that quietly drain your bank account.”
Andrew Burnstine, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Lynn University
How is the current social and economic environment influencing household spending on fast food?
“It is completely understandable why so many hard-working families feel exhausted and defeated trying to put dinner on the table while navigating relentless global inflation and geopolitical uncertainty. For decades, the local drive-thru was the ultimate stress-free budgetary safety valve for busy parents, but skyrocketing operating overhead has completely shattered that dependable refuge. The USDA Economic Research Service reports that food-away-from-home prices are predicted to jump another 3.6 percent this year, leaving households feeling deeply squeezed. Restaurant industry experts deeply empathize with this modern financial tightrope, with one prominent consumer analyst stating, ‘Financially pinched families are aggressively scaling back their restaurant visits and retreating back to the safety of grocery store home cooking to protect their remaining savings.’”
Andrew Burnstine, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Lynn University
Tips for Saving Money on Fast Food
- Use coupons. Although fast food menu prices have risen substantially in recent years, you can get discounts that are comparable to the old prices by using coupons. The easiest way to get coupons is by installing the fast food chain’s app, but you may also be able to find other coupons online or in the mail.
- Budget wisely. If treating yourself to fast food is something that you value, it’s essential to know how to budget well. That way, you’ll have a good idea of how much you can afford to spend, and thus avoid overspending. When you create your budget, consider adding fast food last with your “wants.” Cutting out other luxuries and growing your savings can also make eating out more often possible.
- Don’t get delivery. It’s a pain to drive to a fast food joint to pick up your food. However, getting food delivered will make your food cost far more than it would if you picked it up yourself, between regular delivery costs, convenience fees and tips.
- Eat out less often. Often the best way to save money is simply not to spend it in the first place. Eating fast food even slightly less often can save you a considerable amount of money. Cooking for yourself may be a little more time consuming, but it’ll probably be a lot cheaper too.
- Join rewards programs. Some fast food chains have rewards programs that will give you free food when you’ve spent a certain amount of money or made a certain number of orders.
- Don’t go crazy with your orders. Adding extra toppings, sides or desserts, or getting the largest sizes of everything, can make your meal get really expensive quickly. Since fast food meals are usually high-calorie to begin with, avoiding too many extras is also good for your health.
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