Study Reveals the Most Expensive U.S. States for Fast Food
That Big Mac might be costing you more depending on where you live.
A study by NetCredit determined the most expensive states and cities for fast food. NetCredit analyzed GrubHub data to determine the cost of menu items from Burger King, McDonald’s, Popeyes, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell in the largest cities of each American state. They then determined the average national price, as well as the price premium, above or below the national average. Their findings revealed that fast food prices are anything but uniform.
Anchorage, AK and Honolulu, HI both pay more than 18 percent above the national average for fast food, the biggest discrepancy for any location analyzed. Alaska is also the state that sees the biggest upcharge on fast food, with an 18.17 percent increase over the national average. Food is infamously pricey in remote Alaska, which explains some of the increase.
The study also found that Alaskans are increasingly willing to pay even more money—anywhere from $10–$30— to companies such as DoorDash to bring orders straight to their door because some parts of Alaska are only accessible by plane.
“There’s literally no roads to connect these people to McDonald’s or to KFC or whatever,” Katie Burrows, an airline assistant in southwest Alaska, explained in the report. “Paying an expediter or DoorDashing something to our office and paying $20 is really not that expensive compared to going into town.”
McDonald’s items were found to be priciest in Alaska, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Massachusetts came under some fire earlier this year when it was found that the state was selling America’s most expensive Big Mac, at nearly $8 per sandwich. McDonald’s responded to this by telling Business Insider that “prices are ultimately at the discretion of our franchisees and may vary by restaurant.” There's no word on whether prices will increase once McDonald's implements its changes to the Big Mac.
Of all the chains studied, Pizza Hut had the most variable prices. Hawaiians pay a 25.64 percent difference in the cost of a 14-inch Meat Lovers, Veggie Lovers, or Pepperoni Lovers Pizza, 12.68 percent above the national average. Pizza Hut prices are generally cheaper across the mid-East, possibly due to the large amount of pizza establishments in this region making prices more competitive.
The study did reveal a few glimmers of positive fast food news, though. It was found that Floridians are getting a preferential deal on Burger King, which makes sense is it originated in their state. The price of Whoppers, French fries, and bacon double cheeseburgers are down 6 percent there from the national average.
New Yorkers also got some surprising news as the study determined that Subway sandwiches are significantly cheaper in their state than the national average. The cost of a sandwich in New York is 4.6 percent below the chain’s national average. The company closed more than 1,000 locations in 2021, with New York losing a whopping 22 percent of its Subway sandwich shops in just a few years. That might account for the preferential pricing in that region.
Hattiesburg, Mississippi was deemed the least expensive city for fast food. Residents there pay 12.14 percent below the national average. Texas was found to be the cheapest state overall, with two cities amongst the 10 cheapest in the U.S.
Below are the top 10 most expensive states for fast food in the U.S. You can find the full list here.
- Alaska (18.17 percent above the national average)
- Washington (12.91 percent)
- Hawaii (11.98 percent)
- California (11.75 percent)
- Vermont (7.89 percent)
- New Hampshire (7.60 percent)
- Massachusetts (7.20 percent)
- Oregon (6.85 percent)
- Rhode Island (6.63 percent)
- New York 5.96 (percent)