9 Fast Food Chains That Seriously Overcharge

It used to be that fast food was an inexpensive and quick way to enjoy a delicious bite to eat. After all, this was the major selling point that distinguished these chains from more expensive, sit-in restaurants. However, things have changed. A 2024 Lending Tree study revealed that 78% of consumers see fast food as a luxury, something entirely too expensive to be enjoyed every day. As a result of this perception, brought on by a steady increase in fast food pricing, fewer Americans are entering fast food establishments or pulling into drive-thrus, an outcome that may even be putting some big-name brands in jeopardy.

Although the broad explanation for fewer customers opting to visit fast food brands is rising prices, this might be an oversimplification of the issue that ignores specific causes. For instance, McDonald's raised its menu prices significantly between 2019 and 2024, attributing 35% of the reason to increased food and paper costs. The chain also said that it was charging more in an effort to increase employee wages.

Despite such efforts to rationalize the outcome, the fact remains that fast food is very expensive, and some of the most popular chains may actually be seriously overcharging their customers. When it comes to which brands cost too much, these are the ones that some customers feel are just too expensive, with food or service that doesn't justify the pricing.

Truthfully, Whataburger has never been known as the cheapest place to get a fast-food burger. Even so, the chain has remained a Texas staple since 1950, becoming popular enough to expand service into 17 U.S. states. For the longest time, Whataburger has enjoyed success because of a long-held perception that its food and service quality justified slightly higher prices compared to similar burger brands. Yet, Whataburger may have finally priced itself beyond both the budget and goodwill of long-time customers.

As of 2025, the average price of a standard burger from Whataburger is reportedly around $5.59. By comparison, McDonald's released a $5 meal option in the Summer of 2024, which included more items. If you want a similar combo option at Whataburger, you can expect to pay two to three times more. It's something that has some observers asking if Whataburger's food is worth the extra money, or outright accusing the company of overcharging customers.

When it comes to whether Whataburger is actually overcharging people, it's first important to remember that pricing is not uniform. As CHRON reports, what you pay for menu items can vary significantly by location, noting that a Whatameal can be $8.79 in Texas but $9.69 in Colorado. Such things may be affected by both taxes and the local cost of ingredients. Despite this, not everyone is convinced, with some customers swearing off the brand over perceived changes in food quality and smaller portions.

The cost of eating at Chipotle Mexican Grill has become a hot topic in recent years, with customers balking at the cost of most of the menu items. Entrées reportedly start at $4.30 for a single taco. Meanwhile, salads and quesadillas start at $12 and $15, respectively. While you can still pay less than $3 for a simple order of chips and salsa, ordering a filling meal from this establishment might cost much more than some customers feel comfortable paying. 

Whatever recent concerns may be, Chipotle has been adjusting its menu pricing for years. Back in 2021, the brand caused a stir when it raised menu prices by about 4%, citing employee wage growth as the reason. The company planned to pay workers at least $15 per hour, with some speculating this was meant to attract new workers and maintain the loyalty of existing employees. Chipotle raised prices again in late 2024 by 2%, this time in response to inflation and the rising cost of key food ingredients such as beef, dairy, and avocados. With this ongoing trend, it's likely that Chipotle will continue to charge customers more and more to make up for increased expenses related to supplies and payroll. 

Chipotle may still be able to maintain its customer base if consumers believe that eating there means they enjoy good-quality ingredients and a worthwhile service experience. However, if Chipotle continues raising its prices at a time when most Americans simply cannot afford to eat out, it may find that there are just not enough people willing to eat there for what it's charging.

As high as Shake Shack's meal prices are on average, it's not too surprising to hear the brand gets accused of overcharging customers. A single patty ShackBurger reportedly starts at $8.39, and a double meat burger starts at $11.49. For a mini-shake, you can expect to pay at least $5.39. Overall, you'll be lucky to pay less than $20 per person when ordering individually; things can get expensive very quickly when buying for a group. 

Though Shake Shack has never been a truly budget-friendly chain, its recent price hikes are largely attributed to beef-related inflation. The fast-food and restaurant industries were directly impacted by a 35.4% year-over-year surge in beef prices in 2025. To cope, Shake Shack made selective changes, causing customers to pay anywhere between 0.5% and 5.7% more for menu items. Although the brand had to slightly lower its earnings forecast, NRN reports that Shake Shack still saw its revenue grow by 14.8% as of December 2024. 

While the earnings could easily be attributed to the price increases, Shake Shack seems to believe that its recent success is partially owed to customer loyalty, which would challenge the perception that it's missing out on American consumers due to being overpriced. Shake Shack, which opened a couple of dozen new locations in 2025, continues to expand, even as diners balk at fast food spending. If Shake Shack has a genuinely dedicated fan base, it will likely become very apparent should the chain continue to grow despite ongoing economic shakeups. Otherwise, the company could find itself overreaching, pricing itself too high for customers to even afford a mini-shake.

Panera Bread was previously one of the top fast-casual chains in the country. Unfortunately for the company, it has since fallen from grace. One reason for its decline is negative public perception. Panera customers aren't pleased with how much items cost compared to what they receive. For instance, a simple grilled cheese sandwich costs nearly $8. There are also reportedly complaints about shrinkflation, in which prices of menu items rose while food portions decreased significantly. The fast-casual industry as a whole has had to cope with missed earnings milestones and increased food ingredient costs. Still, Panera Bread may have been hit harder than some brands because of customer dissatisfaction over pricing.

Panera Brand has sought to address criticism head-on by making a series of adjustments aimed at winning back customers. In a company press release, Panera Bread outlined a multi-year strategy to achieve over $7 billion in sales by 2028. The plan includes a menu refresh and efforts to improve food quality. The company also intends to improve customer experience and service expectations. Though the plan didn't specifically mention offering discounts or deals, it did suggest offering food items at a variety of price points, which could make Panera Bread more accessible to a broader range of people, including those who previously considered the brand beyond their fast-food budget. 

If fast food customers were asked at random whether Five Guys overcharges, the reaction is likely to be mixed. Five Guys' burgers, fries, and other menu items tend to be more expensive than what you'll find at McDonald's or Wendy's. Were you to order a standard cheeseburger here, you should expect to pay more than $7, and that's without adding fries or a drink. The saving grace for Five Guys has long been how good its food is, with its burgers previously rated as the best in the entire country. One could argue that its prices are a reflection of its popularity, and for that reason alone, one could argue Five Guys doesn't overcharge.

And yet, Five Guys became the subject of heated debate when a customer shared on X, formerly Twitter, just how much the chain increased prices between 2011 and 2025. Before, a bacon cheeseburger and Coke cost customers $8.39. Now, they would pay $11.17 for the burger alone. As people debate Five Guys' rising prices, the brand maintains that it's only reacting to ingredient costs, following the trend of supplier price hikes. Likewise, Five Guys prioritizes using fresh ingredients, including its beef, rather than frozen. The combination of food costs and quality may be at the heart of rising menu items, but as good as its burgers taste, there's still concern that the chain could eventually price out too many fans.

Some sandwich customers may consider Jersey Mike's too expensive, but the chain is relatively successful. Per CNN, its value currently exceeds $8 billion following a massive equity purchase by Blackstone. By comparison, direct rival Subway is reportedly worth nearly $10 billion. Although Subway aims to appeal to customers with $6.99 and $9.99 value meals, Jersey Mike's charges $16 to $17 for its subs alone. This may be why, despite having fewer locations, each Jersey Mike's location earns about $1.3 million per year compared to the $500,000 average per Subway franchise location.

Despite these earnings, some believe that as Jersey Mike's increases prices relative to the competition and to what Americans are willing to pay for fast-food dining, it's getting harder to justify its expensive menu. One justification is the brand's use of fresh ingredients and workers preparing your subs in front of you; however, these qualities aren't unique to the brand, and you may be able to get a similar experience at a local small business. Others point to the recent Blackstone investment, worrying there's a direct correlation between the move and rising prices.

As a brand, Jersey Mike's is actively expanding its reach and opening new locations. This confidence suggests the brand believes enough customers will continue to support the company in ways that fund its growth. However, if the chain really is overcharging, it could become apparent very soon as Americans continue to curb their fast food spending.

Panda Express fans have been less than impressed with the fast-casual dining chain's price increases. Even children weren't spared, as one study found the brand raised its kids' meal prices 38% between 2014 and 2024. Perhaps one of the best indicators of how dissatisfied customers are with Panda Express is a post in the r/EndTipping subreddit where a user revealed their meal included a 5% Employee Benefits surcharge, but they were also asked to leave a tip. As customers mull over Panda Express's decision-making, some have become wary of the brand, believing that it is severely overpriced relative to what they can get at other fast-food or fast-casual chains.

Whether Panda Express charges too much could be purely subjective. Depending on the location, Panda Express Bowls can cost between $9 and $11, which some might find reasonable. However, many locations charge more due to taxes and other expenses, including employee wages. Even if Panda Express moves to steadily increase menu prices to keep up with ingredient costs and worker wages, not everyone will agree with the changes. Customers continue to share negative experiences, which include unexpected fees and forms of shrinkflation. This type of negative word of mouth is not good for Panda Express, especially at a time when its industry is seeing lowered customer enthusiasm overall.

Wendy's might not be as frequently accused of overcharging as some competing fast-food chains, but it has gotten significantly more expensive in recent years, and customers have noticed. The brand previously launched its "two for $5" meal deal in late 2020. When Wendy's brought the deal back in 2023, it became two items for $6. With the deal coming back in 2025, there was yet another price increase, this time to $7. Inflation is widely blamed for the adjustment, with some worried that the deal will only get more expensive, despite customers being offered only two items together.

A big reason for wariness about what Wendy's is charging might stem from backlash over controversial statements by former CEO Kirk Tanner about dynamic pricing. According to Reuters, Tanner said that as early as 2025, instead of paying a fixed rate for meals, Wendy's customers would pay based on demand, especially during peak service hours. The statements generated significant negative publicity, with some accusing the company of price gouging. Whether the idea was in the works or just a potential strategy with no actual timeline isn't known, as Wendy's very quickly and publicly walked back the idea. 

As of late 2025, Wendy's finds itself in a tough spot. The brand's third-quarter report revealed a 2.6% global decline in sales. More worrying, ABC News reports the chain could soon close hundreds of underperforming locations. A situation like this might force Wendy's franchise owners to raise prices in order to maintain profitability. Still, if customers already feel the company's food isn't worth the current rates, making menu items even more expensive might only make matters worse for the brand overall.

For Americans old enough to remember paying $1.54 for a Whopper in the '80s, the thought of paying between $6 and $8 for one in 2025 is no doubt disappointing. As menu prices continue to increase at the fast food chain, some customers are choosing to "have it their way" by choosing to spend money elsewhere. As for why Burger King is hiking menu prices, the company directly blames beef inflation, while expressing an optimistic outlook that associated costs will stabilize soon. 

Burger King is also in the midst of a series of remodels for hundreds of stores, which the company hopes will lift profits even further; previously remodeled stores saw notable sales improvements, with sales reportedly averaging $2 million. That said, such projects aren't cheap, and the pricing will likely need to be adjusted to cover the costs of remodeling alongside expenses tied to wages, food, paper, etc. One way that Burger King has tried to lure in customers is through two for $5 and three for $7 meal deals, comparable to what one might find at McDonald's or Wendy's. The most recent promotion was temporary, but a permanent meal deal might be needed if the brand wants to maintain profitability, especially as Americans continue to opt out of trips to fast-food chains.