Whatever happened to fast food as the hallmark of easy, tasty, and filling food that can be grabbed on the go without paying a fortune? Things have changed, especially with the prices of fast food in our current time. In the good old days, you could buy a burger and fries, or pizza, without needing a layaway plan. Consider that a decade ago, fast-food places did not have access to machine-enabled kitchens, AI, mobile apps, and self-service stations. Now, these businesses have robust technology embedded in their operations, but the use of technology should, at least theoretically, lower the costs of doing business. However, data shows that the average cost of a fast-food meal has increased by 40% over the past five years. It seems this way in many industries. They have lost touch with their customers. They have lost sight of the pursuit of innovative methods to bring costs down. The use of technology should bring these businesses back to their original intent: serving fast food as an alternative to grocery stores and helping lower-income families with convenient pricing. During the technological breakthroughs of this decade, we should see savings passed on to customers, thereby allowing a few dollars to stay in their pockets.

Fast-food companies once were the oasis for quick food at reasonable prices for people on the go and for families with lower incomes. In our current time, it has morphed into something else; a fast-food meal still offers the same core items, but with exorbitant prices that only the elite can afford.

Fast food was not only a convenient choice compared to grocery shopping, but it also enticed many price-sensitive families who could otherwise save a few dollars on their grocery bills to order pizza, burgers, and fries (and a dessert) for under $10.00 -- not something that happens these days. For instance, a large pizza that used to cost $10.00 now costs $17.00, a significant increase. Today, with rising food prices in the grocery stores and now in the fast food industry, what choices are left for the peasantry? Fast food is a luxury expense, accessible only to a few who can afford to pay as much as the elite for the convenience of quick-service food. However, was it not the intent of the creation of the fast food industry to appeal to the lowest bidder in a mass-production business model, anyhow? What changed? Nothing. Folks are still price-sensitive about the price for convenience. 

The real picture is this: Fast food burgers and fries, even considering minor adjustments based on location and other variables held constant, are, on average, more expensive than alternatives. The average fast food meal costs between $10 and $17 per person. Consider a family of three ordering just three fast food meals; they would spend upwards of $33.00, not including a tip. This amount may not sound too extravagant for a few, but it is luxury prices for the many, and for these reasons, the many are bowing out of the fast-food experience because the rises in prices outweigh the perceived benefits.

My hope, and perhaps yours, is that fast food will save the day by utilizing technological advances to bring reasonable prices back to levels that match the technological advancements, thereby combating inflationary pricing. For instance, the use of machine-enabled kitchens and AI can streamline operations and reduce labor costs, while mobile apps and self-service stations can enhance efficiency and reduce overhead. Technology is supposed to reduce the costs of doing business, or at the very least, serve as a substitute for grocery shopping. Was not that the original intent of fast food -- to feed people who otherwise could not afford higher-priced groceries, or generally, people who wanted food on the go at a comparatively inexpensive price point? As we have seen before, the intent changes and morphs into something different from its original intent, ultimately becoming something that no one wants. Can fast food offer comparatively better price points, or am I wishing for a time long gone?

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