Here's How Much a Burger, Fries, and Soda Will Cost You in Major American Cities

By now, you're likely very aware that inflation has made things very, very expensive. Including groceries and going out to restaurants. But, just in case you needed further proof, MoneyGeek has a new report showing just how expensive a simple meal of burgers, fries, and soda has become. 

In July, the website revealed the results of its research looking at the pricing of 189 major and local chains in 50 of the largest cities in America. The team found that between 2022 and 2024, prices rose by 24%, on average. However, there are certain cities that have faired worse than others.

As the report noted, the most expensive burger and fries are found along the West Coast, specifically in San Diego.

"San Diego was the most expensive place to get a burger, fries, and soda, with the average meal cost at major chains topping off at $20.76," the report stated. And while Washington, D.C. took the second spot, the report added that "California cities occupied three of the top ten spots," with San Francisco coming in third with an average meal price of $17.96. Seattle came in fourth, followed by Boston and Los Angeles. 

"In New York, which came in at number seven, you’ll pay an average of $16.61 for a meal," the report added. "With the exception of Phoenix, AZ, and Las Vegas, NV, the top ten spots were all occupied by East and West Coast cities." 

There was one bright spot in this study — Detroit. "At number 50 in our study, we found that you can still get a full burger, fries, and soda meal there for $8.12." 

MoneyGeek didn't just analyze cities. It also researched which fast-food restaurants had the highest price increases too, using prices from allmenus.com and Grubhub.com for 2022 and 2024. 

Price-wise, Five Guys had the most expensive jump, going from $18.33 to $20.84, marking a 13.7% jump. However, percentage-wise, Wendy's made the biggest leap, going from $9.41 to $12.41, marking a 31.8% increase. 

The only caveat here to remember is that, for the most part, pricing is set by individual franchise owners, not typically by the corporate team. So, who knows, you may still be able to find a great deal near you. Buf if not, you can always go to Detroit.