17 Big US Restaurant Chains That Outpriced Themselves in 2026
The CEO of McDonald’s just told investors his own customers can’t afford to eat there anymore. He put it in writing.
Most people assume restaurant chains know better than to push loyal customers out the door.
Familiar booths. Familiar menus. Millions of Americans eating at the same places they’ve gone to for decades.
But in 2026, something shifted. The prices didn’t just go up — they crossed a line. And the people who built these empires on cheap, reliable food are quietly walking away.
Some of these chains have been staples of American life for forty, fifty, sixty years. Truckers, families, retirees, anyone who needed a reliable meal without thinking too hard about the bill.
But once you start following the money — who owns these chains, where the food actually comes from, and what’s really on the plate — the picture that emerges is harder to ignore.
And a few of what you’ll find may change how you look at a menu the next time you walk through one of these doors.
In this video, you’ll discover:
– Which chains are charging premium prices for food a federal judge called “essentially chicken nuggets”
– Which ones quietly shrank your portion while the price went up
– The single supplier connecting almost every chain on this list
– And what to order — or where to shop — instead
The most surprising part?
Three of these chains are now owned by the same private equity firm. And two of them already went bankrupt under that same firm’s watch.
If you enjoy pulling back the curtain on what America’s biggest food chains are actually serving — and who’s really getting fed — subscribe to In Plain Bite and turn on notifications.
New videos break down what’s happening behind the menu, behind the counter, and behind the marketing.
📺 Watch the full video to see the complete breakdown.
This video covers topics including fast food price increases, restaurant chain bankruptcies, casual dining decline, food distributor practices, private equity in restaurants, shrinkflation in fast food, and the hidden economics behind major American food chains.
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#RestaurantPrices #FastFoodExposed #ShrinkflationAlert
49 Comments
Hubby and I are retired and no longer go out to eat.
What we pay for a restaurant meal, we can use to buy groceries and make our own meals.
I almost broke down Friday and went through the drive thru for a chicken enchilada burrito and was informed it was no longer on the menu. I thanked her and ready to go another year avoiding fast food operations.
The days of the abundance of the Anglo-American Dollar which made America what it is are long behind us and gone for good replaced by the surreptitious robbery of the hard working American through shrinkflation, and all the other scheming tricks you showed above. I love that you are telling people the value they can get from Costco which will hopefully wake some people up. You are doing great work. Keep it up. I can proudly say I have not eaten at one of those places in at least 5 years and some up to 10 years.
I've Visited A Big FAT ZERO Of These "Grifting" Restaurants In The Last Year…. No BS!!!
One pancake at IHOP has 2700 g of sodium
You just have to walk away, like Las Vegas 😢
I noticed the changes long ago. Once i found out about private equity i knew it had to be connected in some way. Everybody is trying to cash out before the powers that be choose to crash the economy. After they execute their exit strategy to cover their own asses from what they caused.
Neither do the Democrats ignore their BS propaganda, Boycott the vote!
Truckers have shifts? 😢 color me shocked. I had to buy a 30hr watch to keep up after deregulation,
Applebee's is too loud, all my senses shut down so I cant taste. Or smell
Corporations are citizens, You are subjects,
I gotta run out and spit on my parents graves. 😢
I occasionally still went to McDonald's to try the "Big Arch" promo or a breakfast special. Now, I don't go near the place.
Yes, the high prices are a big part of the reason why. However, when you look at government debt and unbalanced spending, you realize that government fraud has helped jack up those prices.
McDonald's has another problem CEO Kempscinski must address.
That is the very poor quality food preparation.
McDonald's food quality in our area is pathetic and unsafe.
On the rare occasions I do still go, (and it has been awhile), I ask to speak with the manager. I ask them two questions:
1. Is it safe to eat here?
2. Will you make sure that the food is properly prepared?
I recommend that anyone even going to a McDonald's ask to speak with the manager before you order your food.
Better yet, let's send McDonald's a message by not going at all until McDonald's corporate fixes the safety and quality problems.
✌️
Something needs to happen to private equity. They are destroying everything
McDonalds: "One Big Mac, now only $15" 💸
The people: "WE RIOT!!!" (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
Friday's definitely disappointed us. The prices are too high, the food is terrible and the service was awful. 25 years ago, it was our favorite place for casual dining. Not anymore. These days, we go to local establishments because the food, service and prices are better..
I haven't eaten "fast food" in many years. I learned how to cook for myself, which by now is a whole lot better than outside food. I will " NEVER" "EVER" eat the garbage and pay those prices. Folks, learn to cook for yourselves!!!!!
Thanks for the heads up. keep up the good work
Part of the problem is that states have raised minimum wage to unsustainable levels. These companies are not just going to absorb those costs. They are jacking up the prices and this is why they are being priced out of the market.
I have walked away from a lot of these. One of the very few still left is Olive Garden loss leaders – unlimited soup and salad. In the long run, chains pricing us out of the market may lead to better home meals for our health anyway.
in calif. 20.00 in hour for fast food
They are just causing an end to themselves.😊
These restaurants have systematically reduced the quality and portion sizes of the food while eliminating the menu items that were really good. Now all the remaining menu items taste the same as all the other menu items (which isn’t good). I used to eat out quite a lot, now it’s been about once a month, if that.
us Americans are just going to have to BOYCOTT all of these expensive places that's the only way they are going to learn there lessons is wen there money goes away PERIOD….
applebees is one of the only chains that has learned there lesson and lowered there prices.
It’s all from the same distributor anyway. I’m not paying that for prepackaged frozen food
The only thing that you are not talking about is the forced increase in labor cost.
I used to work in the Corp. Office of MC'ds, They do it on purpose.
If I was a teen today, I would bring back Dine and Dash. There's no way young adults can afford to date these days.
We are all servicing the debt for the exec salaries. Mom and Pop all the way.
Democrats McDonalds was one of the largest donors
twoards Maga's project 2025 that would destroy and enslave the middle class boycott this evil maga corporation.
Havent been to Maga McDonalds nor Maga Arbys in 2 plus years screw them.
I was at Denny’s in Sun city Florida this past week and I got my hashbrowns cooked on one side and raw on the other side and the service was horrible. I won’t go back.
Lazy Americans learn how to cook at home and save yourself 225.00 a month.
you forgot to mention the only thing keeping these places alive: The credit card.
Ever since they started taking credit cards people will spend.
IF they had to shell out the bill in cash they would really stay away!!
I want to McDonald's yesterday and the drive-thru menu board does not have a single price on it my medium Big Mac meal was just under $13.
Eat at home and save $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!
This really disappoints me . Nothing learned- we know- just disappointing
In Bot Bite.
I think it's time to also start calling out companies like Frito-Lay. My local grocery store is now selling a 13 ounce bag of Ruffles potato chips and calling them party size for over seven dollars. 13 ounces of potato chips half of which are broken or worse, crumbs won't even feed two football fans watching a four hour game for more than a quarter maybe two. Add the dip and we're talking over $10 for potato chips and dip. It's not like there's a tariff on potatoes. Everything is grown in America. I don't think that pricing is sustainable. it's a very basic snack. I for one will not be buying a medium sized bag of potato chips for seven dollars. They can go to…
I have numerous mom & pop restaurants in my area and NEVER walk into a chain.
I havent eaten at any of these restaurants in at least 3 years. For some of them 10 years to never. Now I cook at home or go to a local / family owned restaurant.
McDonald's, laughing in poverty, I never had McDeath growing up. Too expensive, now retired it's 100% too expensive, I don't mind😂
Just stop patronizing private equity owned restaurants! Home made is best and you save money on gasoline.
Illegal immigrants thought they should be able to afford a family while working fast food. The labor organizers and legal advocates for illegals convinced voters and legislators in many states to raise mimium wages at a time Covid was still threatening it's ugly head. The trickle-down effect produces a tricke-up effect and THESE closures and over-priced food is part of that 'trickle'.
They charge outrageous prices then they have the audacity to add service fees and expect the customer to pay their people
We went to Denny's for breakfast after many years. Awful food. Slow service. Staff talking with their friends instead of working. Watching the servers, they took the pot of coffee off a table and put it back with the others. No washing or rinsing. Yikes. Never again.
We try not to eat out. Not good food anymore 😢
McD – well, the cost of everything is up. Food cost is outpacing inflation. Coffee outpaces inflation by 20%. Fish is up 61%. Beef – 15%. There's a lot more. Oil, cheese, bread – it's all up. Labor prices? A Big Mac meal in most states is $12 or less. California? $22-$27. Subway? The parent company ruined it. I know someone who owned one – he made a good living from it. 10 years later? Even Subway will tell you it takes at least three restaurants to make what one made 10 years ago.