#fast-food-pricing

#fast-food-pricing

So the Whopper being smushed, literally, I've heard it . . . and we've seen it. Criticisms range from the lackluster quality of ingredients in the burger to soggy buns to even smashed burgers. That last complaint-burgers that were physically deformed when they reached the customer's hands-is something even the company's U.S. and Canadian president, Tom Curtis, admitted to.

The rising cost of food has been tough to deal with everywhere, and it's particularly hard to accept how much Dunkin's prices have increased. It's not that the coffee chain should be exempt from the forces that have driven up fast food prices over the last five years, but Dunkin' has always been a value refuge from Starbucks and other competitors that like to pass themselves off as a little bit fancier.

At a Shake Shack in Maryland, a single-patty hamburger costs $6.99, a double is $9.99, and a triple is $12.99. Each burger, whose 100% Angus beef patties weigh in at 4 ounces before cooking, comes on a toasted potato bun with free toppings like lettuce, tomato, sliced onions, pickles, and Shack Sauce. If you want bacon or avocado added, that'll cost you another $1.99. Crispy or caramelized onions, meanwhile, add another $1.29 and alternatives like a gluten-free bun or veggie patty add 99 cents.