A Shift in the French Fry Market

[Shel_B]

I didn't realize that sales at fast food places like McD, BK, etc., have been dropping. It appears that their sales slowdown is hurting the business of frozen French fry suppliers. Interesting article if such things interest you.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/08/business/mcdonalds-french-fries-lamb-weston/index.html

 

[GON]

I didn't realize that sales at fast food places like McD, BK, etc., have been dropping. It appears that their sales slowdown is hurting the business of frozen French fry suppliers. Interesting article if such things interest you.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/08/business/mcdonalds-french-fries-lamb-weston/index.html

Shel,

Last Saturday I was at McDonalds and very hungry. A large fry at the mid-state Oregon McDonalds before tax is $4.79 USD. I can afford the fries, but I passed on the fries not willing to pay that price.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I agree, It wouldn't surprise me its more an affect that they have priced themselves out rather than people getting healthy all of the sudden.

I think the fast food industry, which has typically been associated with low cost, is in for a world of hurt. Price elasticity is very high, and people are out of cash.

Thanks for posting OP!

 

[Patman]

Shel,

Last Saturday I was at McDonalds and very hungry. A large fry at the mid-state Oregon McDonalds before tax is $4.79 USD. I can afford the fries, but I passed on the fries not willing to pay that price.

McDonald’s prices vary quite significantly from one location to another on many of their items. One of my favorite breakfast items from them is the Chicken McMuffin and some locations charge $2.99 and I have seen it as high as $4.29. I love their iced coffee but I have seen it vary from $2.79 to $3.29 depending upon where you go. As a franchise I feel like the price should be consistent everywhere. Only a handful of items have consistent pricing everywhere (the value menu items for example)

 

[tmorris1]

Shel,

Last Saturday I was at McDonalds and very hungry. A large fry at the mid-state Oregon McDonalds before tax is $4.79 USD. I can afford the fries, but I passed on the fries not willing to pay that price.

They can make all the excuses that they want for low sales on everything, but I think we are finally seeing the prices that people are not willing to pay.

 

[IndyIan]

I didn't realize that sales at fast food places like McD, BK, etc., have been dropping. It appears that their sales slowdown is hurting the business of frozen French fry suppliers. Interesting article if such things interest you.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/08/business/mcdonalds-french-fries-lamb-weston/index.html

Yeah, fast food kind of only makes some sense to me when it's convenient and cheap... Take away the cheap part, and I am out.
We lost our no-name brand frozen fries, which were always reasonable at $.90-1.00/lb at our grocery stores. Now all that is left is brand name fries in the $2-3/lb range, so I don't buy frozen fries there at all anymore.
Potatoes are ~15 cents/lb by the truck load, so I think there's is some price fixing going on.

 

[dishdude]

Younger people are more health conscious and won't eat this crap.

 

[zzyzzx]

Obligatory:

Sub Inflation​

Thread 'Sub Inflation'

Feb 26, 2024

Went to a local sub shop.
Italian sub is $8.95
I give them a 10 spot and walk

I just went in and did the same and the owner said hold up... they are now $13.95...

Before I get beaten...yes I know they can charge whatever they want and I have no issue with that at all.

But whatever happened to incremental increases? Like a $1 at a time or two.

It was the owner and he acted like a worker shaking his head. But I know who he is and I pretty much know what he did.. he hasn't been working much this year and he got around and saw other places pricing. I see it too but he has a thriving...

• Zee09
• Replies: 523
• Forum: Foods/Cooking/Beverages

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[kschachn]

Shel,

Last Saturday I was at McDonalds and very hungry. A large fry at the mid-state Oregon McDonalds before tax is $4.79 USD. I can afford the fries, but I passed on the fries not willing to pay that price.

I know offers are regional but here in the Metropolitan Milwaukee area there are currently three fry offers in the McD app. One is for free medium fry because the Packers won, one is $1.29 any size fry and the third is free any size fry with purchase of an iced tea or soda. If you’re not using the app then you’re paying too much. I know people don’t like all the apps but it beats $5 fries.

 

[racer12306]

I know offers are regional but here in the Metropolitan Milwaukee area there are currently three fry offers in the McD app. One is for free medium fry because the Packers won, one is $1.29 any size fry and the third is free any size fry with purchase of an iced tea or soda. If you’re not using the app then you’re paying too much. I know people don’t like all the apps but it beats $5 fries.

A friend of ours told us about this. She has every stores app and if you're going to eat at the places, you need to use the apps, it's pretty ridiculous the savings.

 

[Hermann]

I'm going for the BOGO Big Mac's after the Chiefs had a sack last night. A Big Mac has 510 calories, I probably remove a 150-200 calories by getting rid of the center bun/bread and half of the secret sauce. I think the lady friend and I will be full even after striping the carbs off the sandwich. That and a L unsweetened tea should do the job.

 

[Kira]

Anyone handling money is a big NO-NO in new business models.
Orders popping up electronically at the cooking side and packaging side is faster...even for restocking.
They really want you to use the app.

At a Shop-Rite near me, they have new shopping carts equipped with bar code readers and scales so you can whisk through the check-out.
The state 'weights & measures' stickers on these carts caught my eye.
Again, faster and no money changes hands most of the time.
I don't know if payment is pre-arranged (as with FF apps) but people use their credit/debit cards quite often by my reconning.

 

[GON]

I know offers are regional but here in the Metropolitan Milwaukee area there are currently three fry offers in the McD app. One is for free medium fry because the Packers won, one is $1.29 any size fry and the third is free any size fry with purchase of an iced tea or soda. If you’re not using the app then you’re paying too much. I know people don’t like all the apps but it beats $5 fries.

Guess I won't be a motivated customer of restaurants that require apps to get a proper price. I moved my grocery shopping from stores like Safeway, Albertsons, etc to Wal Mart and Costco because of their "shopper card games". I don't desire to put my energy into figuring out what the deal is, and often discover the deal isn't applicable, etc.... and they got me.....

I was a regular customer of McDonald's hot coffee. The coffee was often good, and the price was nice. Once McDonald's offered its $5 USD meal deal, the price of coffee at many McDonalds doubled. There is no "free lunch" from the places, but there is ample smoke and mirrors.

 

[Kira]

ample smoke and mirrors.

Ha-ha. Or wafting grease and oversized touch-app screens.

Our vintage McD's, think the landmark in Boulder, CO, had its 2nd rebuild. The interior is finished in medium brown stone paneling.
It's gaunt and uninviting but easy to clean
I feel they'd like the dining room to go away too!

 

[dishdude]

Guess I won't be a motivated customer of restaurants that require apps to get a proper price. I moved my grocery shopping from stores like Safeway, Albertsons, etc to Wal Mart and Costco because of their "shopper card games". I don't desire to put my energy into figuring out what the deal is, and often discover the deal isn't applicable, etc.... and they got me.....

I have as well. I have zero interest in having the Safeway app on my phone to digitally clip coupons just to get pricing to a semi-reasonable but still expensive level.

Between Costco, Aldi and Trader Joe's, I rarely step foot in a traditional grocery store. They all SUCK.

 

[Cheetah-kins]

Younger people are more health conscious and won't eat this crap.

I hate to say it but, a more untrue statement has never been uttered. Young people do nothing but eat this crap and variations of it. I know, I work with young people now and have over the last 20 some years at multiple jobs - on both the east and west coast. And one thing I can say with absolute certainty, is young people eat out constantly. Why do you think the nation is so fat? It sure isn't because young people were avoiding fast food and eating healthy. It honestly makes me sad because I hate to see people I care about live so unhealthily, and our nation's fitness level drop so badly over the decades.

On the subject of this thread, it is true imo that the restaurants have out priced themselves. That's why you see all of them now offering 'value deals'. They're hurting for sure.

 

[GSCJR]

Before Rona, I had an epiphany while having coffee with a colleague at a McDonald's, of all places. I envisioned that fast food restaurants would no longer be open to the public, drive-thru or take out orders only, with no place to sit or restrooms available. Essentially, restaurants would turn into a food prep kitchens.

When Rona hit, my thoughts became a reality and restaurants still existed with dining rooms closed, and drive-thru or pick-up only as options, and it worked. In my area, there's not one restaurant chain that closed due to this new sales model. In some ways, not allowing patrons into restaurants in my opinion, increased profit. Think of the reduction in liabilities and expenses when you eliminate the general public in a restaurant, including contactless payment (no theft or incorrect calculations); It's a win-win for the retailer as far as I'm concerned.

Now in terms of french fries, before Rona, they were THE most profitable item on any food menu, a palms worth costed retailers less than 50c. This is ONE of the reasons that fries are always part of giveaways; "would you like a soda with those fries?", which is the second reason. Fountain drinks cost nothing and sell for big $$$.

 

[GMBoy]

Guess I won't be a motivated customer of restaurants that require apps to get a proper price. I moved my grocery shopping from stores like Safeway, Albertsons, etc to Wal Mart and Costco because of their "shopper card games". I don't desire to put my energy into figuring out what the deal is, and often discover the deal isn't applicable, etc.... and they got me.....

I was a regular customer of McDonald's hot coffee. The coffee was often good, and the price was nice. Once McDonald's offered its $5 USD meal deal, the price of coffee at many McDonalds doubled. There is no "free lunch" from the places, but there is ample smoke and mirrors.

I agree and add to this I already have too many apps on my phone already.

 

[LenZee]

I'm going for the BOGO Big Mac's after the Chiefs had a sack last night. A Big Mac has 510 calories, I probably remove a 150-200 calories by getting rid of the center bun/bread and half of the secret sauce. I think the lady friend and I will be full even after striping the carbs off the sandwich. That and a L unsweetened tea should do the job.

No fries? My favorite right now is Bbq w Sneed's fries with a sweet tea. McD and every other fast food place stopped making decent fries decades ago.

 

[Dave Hess]

I didn't realize that sales at fast food places like McD, BK, etc., have been dropping. It appears that their sales slowdown is hurting the business of frozen French fry suppliers. Interesting article if such things interest you.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/08/business/mcdonalds-french-fries-lamb-weston/index.html

People are tight on money and spending less at fast food restaurants.

A burger combo meal is minimum $10