McDonald’s missed Q2 estimates but stock rose ~$10; the author argues fast food has repositioned as a premium product for upper-middle-class consumers, not the poor.
Key Takeaways
Upper-middle-class consumers now drive fast food revenue; the “fast food is for poor people” assumption is outdated per the author.
Spending $100 for two at lunch or $25+ for an artisan burger has become normalized, fueled by food influencer culture on TikTok and YouTube.
A cognitive dissonance loop exists: the same audiences praising calorie-dense viral food also amplify obesity and inflation concerns.
Doordash and Uber Eats markups plus tips further push fast food into premium price territory regardless of base menu prices.
McDonald’s stock resilience despite earnings misses signals Wall Street sees the consumer pullback as temporary, not structural.
Hacker News Comment Review
Commenters largely confirmed price increases through personal receipts: $20+ for two meals at drive-thru, McDouble moving from $1 to near $3, with inflation math roughly justifying the delta.
A recurring counter-narrative: quality and speed have not kept pace with prices, pushing some regulars to local mom-and-pop spots instead.
Order accuracy failures and poor in-store experiences were cited as a separate compounding deterrent beyond price alone.
Notable Comments
@zhdc1: Big Mac meal was $2.99 in 1990; inflation-adjusted that is ~$7.88 today vs. current ~$8.50, suggesting price growth is close to general inflation.
@jjmarr: Described a stolen order with no refund and manager dispute, illustrating operational breakdown beyond pricing.
