Unfortunately McDonald’s is losing its low-income customers to higher prices. According to a corporate fact sheet, from 2019 to 2024, the average cost of a McDonald’s menu item rose 40%. The average price of a Big Mac in 2019, for example, was $4.39, rising in 2024 to $5.29, according to the company. A 10-piece McNuggets Meal rose from $7.19 to $9.19 in the same time period. Source: Economic Policy Institute.
The company says these increases are in line with the costs of running a restaurant — including soaring labor costs and high prices of beef and other goods.
McDonald”s illustrated just how important it was to market to low-income customers. The low-income customer is being squeezed by the rising cost of groceries, clothes, rent, child care, etc. Higher beef and labor costs have increased at McDonald’s, causing the rise of prices on McDonald’s menu.
CEO compensation has grown 1,094% from 1978 to 2024. This increase comes out to 21 times the average worker’s salary in 1965 to 281 times in 2024. Source: Yahoo Finance.
The 2025 stats are unavailable on the above information but can you imagine what they will be when they are calculated.
To add to this inequity are tax policies enacted by Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Donald Trump, which favor the wealthiest Americans, again leaving out the low-income and the middle-class American.
As the old saying goes: “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”
Lois Eisenberg
Valencia
