When you want a burger, fries, and soda, you expect the price to reflect that of fast food, right? In some American cities, this basic, straightforward combo costs more than a fancy brunch. It’s not even funny. Take a look at these 15 cities that will make you think twice before placing an order.
San Francisco, CA
It looks like any other burger, but it costs between $16–$18. That goes for pretty much any fast food meal in San Francisco. The high cost of living, expensive rent, and extortionate tax means that everything has an extra few noughts on the end. It’s a great place, but draining on the old wallet.
New York City, NY
With plenty of street food options, you’d expect more from NY. But if you fancy a basic burger, fries, and soda combo in Manhattan, prepare to part with around $15. If you head to a trendy spot, it’s a lot more. The sky-high food prices are comparable with fine dining. And you don’t even get a plate.
Honolulu, HI
If you head to paradise, you might as well expect paradise prices. In Honolulu, a fast-food meal will cost you around $14–$16. They say it’s to do with shipping costs and limited local supply, but we suspect it’s more to do with the thousands of tourists that’ll willingly pay the price.
Washington, DC
If you’re off to the nation’s capital, you need the salary of a President. Expect to pay $13–$15 for a combo meal in DC. Watch out for the soy burgers; they might be healthier, but the expensive ingredients make the burgers super-sized prices. The closer you get to the White House, the pricier it gets. Marketing strategy much?
Seattle, WA
You need to head to Seattle’s Space Needle just to experience it. It’s called the Canlis Burger, and it’s priced at $28 at the Loupe Lounge. Elsewhere, a burger meal averages $14. They say it’s high wages, rent, and a booming tech economy. They’re into eco-friendly packaging, so maybe that’s the reason for it.
Boston, MA
We know that celebrities love opening burger joints, but it’s pretty extortionate to pay between $11 and $15 for a meal combo at places like Wahlburgers. The area is student-heavy, so it’s costly for locals, plus the rising cost of living and other such economic quandaries make it a cheeky ask. We still pay it.
Los Angeles, CA
In L.A., everything costs extra, including your ketchup. If you’re in a 1-mile vicinity of Venice Beach or West Hollywood, you can expect to pay around $14–$16. The famous pineapple-topped cheeseburger is one of L.A.’s favorites, but you can expect to pay an extra few dollars on top. Who needs a healthy touch when you’re eating fast food?
San Diego, CA
Best known for its surf-town vibes and high Cali prices, San Diego sells burgers at around $13–$15 a meal. That said, the Boar Burger at Werewolf costs an almighty $17.50. Yes, it tastes good, but it wants to for such an extortionate price. Sunshine and palm trees don’t make food cheaper.
Portland, OR
Some people think that Portland is weird, so maybe that makes the costly burger prices less of a blow. A fast-food meal comes in at around $13–$14 (more so at McMenamins), even if it’s organic and locally sourced. The city has a big indie culture and a high demand for sustainable everything, so your basic burger isn’t basic.
Chicago, IL
Head to Chicago and expect to pay around $13–$14 for a burger, fries, and soda. A restaurant called Roister even has a special Japanese-infused burger at $58. We’d have high expectations. They blame downtown pricing, but who knows? If you’re on vacation, you’ll pay the price, right? Not such good news for locals.
Denver, CO
While parts of Denver have affordable burger joints, the majority of it comes with crazy fast food prices. Your average combo meal is $13–$14, depending on the neighborhood. The population is growing, we’re told, and we’re aware that wellness trends can make ingredients more costly. Expect air-fried fries, but you’re paying the price.
Miami, FL
In Miami, the heat isn’t the only thing burning a hole in your clothes, it’s the price of your wallet spontaneously combusting. A burger meal here averages $13–$15, especially in the more tourist-heavy areas. Five Napkin Burger’s has a sliding price range, but some burgers go up to $13. Fancy condiments? No thanks, we can’t afford them.
Philadelphia, PA
Philly does great cheesesteaks on the cheap, but burger combos are the other extreme. They’re around $12–$14. Some places are big on the luxury burgers, which will set you back twice the price. The downtown spots near attractions often inflate prices, and that’s also for fast food. How rude.
Las Vegas, NV
Burger meals average around $13–$15 on or near the Strip, which isn’t too horrific, all things considered. A classic cheeseburger at Golden Nugget will set you back around $20, and they’re adding a new burger that’s upwards of £110. Bargain. It could be worse for the casino capital of the world, right?
Anchorage, AK
With understandable shipping costs and its remote location, Anchorage fast food prices hover at $13–$15. Alaskan meat is pretty up there in terms of quality, so we shouldn’t be too shocked. The major fast-food chains even have to charge more to cover logistics. We might forgive this one. Maybe.
