America's Most Popular Burger Now Costs 40% More

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[algore]

The iconic Big Mac has been the head honcho on the McDonald's menu since 1967. While the recipe has remained the same over the course of its 55-year lifespan, the price of the famous burger has dramatically changed over time. And currently, it costs 40% more than it did ten years ago.

According to CNBC, the Big Mac is, in many ways, a powerful demonstrator of the inflation Americans are currently going through. Since the demand for Big Mac spans the globe, The Economist even created the Big Mac index in 1986 to monitor the burger's price against other currencies. Known as "Burgernomics," the idea uses the price of the burger to illustrate the purchasing power parity—including the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar.

Make sure to check out 100 Unhealthiest Foods On the Planet.

Now costing an average of $6.05 in the U.S., the price of a Big Mac has grown even more than the rising cost of living, which is up by 37% in a decade. Between Dec. 2020 and Dec. 2021 alone, inflation soared to 7%, which coincided with the 7% increase in the price of a Big Mac. As CNBC points out, a "healthy" rate of inflation is 2 to 3% on an annual basis.

But the Big Mac isn't alone. Countless popular fast-food items are facing price hikes amid supply chain disruptions.

[gcparent]

Funny. I use lots of paper plates but the price of paper plates is sky high.