number one on that list. Wow. Well, we told you about a LendingTree survey that found nearly 80% of consumers. Now consider fast food a luxury. Because of those rising prices, it was long considered a fast and affordable option there for families. With Fox 26 business reporter Tom Zizka is looking into why prices seem to be out of control. Tom Anthony. Caroline a recent USA today report found fast food prices are up about 47% in the last ten years, almost double the rate of inflation in the same period. Some items, though, like a Big Mac meal, are up even more than that 70% inside here it'll run you $8.49 if you want one. And those prices for some are just too hard to swallow. All right, have a good day, sir. The good news for most fast food chains in the U.S. is that they are making money with nearly $400 billion in collective sales, but rising prices are part of the pressure on the bottom line, as surveys show more than 60% of people saying they've been shocked by a fast food bill and are going less frequently. But I do like to kind of go out every now and then for some tacos. Is it affordable, I include it in my budget. It's crazy. Prices are food. Restaurant is at an all time high, in my opinion. In response, some chains have returned to offering value themed meal deals, particularly from McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's, in hope of luring customers back. Some industry experts, though, say that marketing will squeeze profit margins that are still under pressure from inflation and supply costs. The franchisor can say, we're going to give food away or at a very low margin, but it's going to be the local franchisee who is a small business owner that is going to take the brunt of that. Franchise expert Nick Neonakis says food costs are just part of the problem. Rising labor costs also take an equally large bite as demands for higher wages and benefits, including a $20 an hour minimum wage for fast food workers in California forced prices ever higher. That's $50,000 to have someone working in a fast food restaurant. So if you've got 30 or 40 people, you start doing the math. It really starts adding on to that labor inflation component. So what is on the menu for the future? Automation. Certainly to play a bigger role in cutting costs. That's ordering the food that's making the food that will certainly cost jobs as well. And recently, one fast food former fast food executive told Fox business that these prices are such a pressure that it will force
