Burger King is closing more than 400 stores in 2024. Are people eating out less?

[exitseven]

The cost of a meal at a fast food place is approaching 20 dollars. With inflation and having to pay employees over $20/hrs this is the result. Are people willing to pay $20 dollars for a cheeseburger, fries and a Coke?

[Oliverlogan263]

This is crazy man, nobody wants to pay 20 bucks for a basic BK meal! And I get why the costs are going up with inflation and all, but that's just way too much.

People are definitely eating out less lately. Even my friends and I, we used to always hit up BK or McD's after school or on weekends, but now we mostly just grab stuff from the grocery store cuz it's way cheaper. Or sometimes we'll order pizza or Chinese food to split instead of going to an actual restaurant.

I saw on TikTok too that a lot of families are saying they only eat out like once a month now max cuz it got so expensive. And that's probably hurting places like BK that rely on regular customers coming in all the time.

It sucks they gotta close stores, but I don't really blame people for not wanting to blow all their money on overpriced fast food either. Something's gotta give with the costs. Makes me glad I still live at home so my parents buy the groceries! Hopefully things level out again at some point.

[Jamie05rhs]

I blame the woke commie libs for this shit. No one was ever supposed to make $15 an hour working at Burger King. Everyone knew this was a bad idea from the very start. Yet they went ahead and did it anyway. Because they care more about their ideology than they do about common sense.

[Jamie05rhs]

Thanks for the MHO.

[sage2021]

I think buying groceries from the grocery store is probably just as expensive as eating out.

After COVID we've been taken advantage of us (they call it inflation, I say they are over charging us because they can). Slowly my grocery bill went from what they were back then, normal prices. Then jumped to $200 a week and the last food bill for the same stuff we always buy was $339.00 for one week. Now 300 $ for the next 3 weeks in the months is $900! So 900 340 is $1240 for one month. That includes toilet paper, soaps, laundry detergent, etc. That amount was for two people by the way.

I don't think I ever ate at Burger King

[EmmaMary]

Personally it certainly won't be of any loss or hardship to my family and I.

I simply cannot recall ever going to a Burger King outlet.

[exitseven]

I have not been to one in many years. My son used to work at one and I used tonpickbhim up after his shift. He always had an order of fries for me. He would run them through the fryolator twice to make them extra crispy.

[DubiousIntentions]

Wow, talking about good service... 😀

[EmmaMary]

Gosh... Thank you so much @exitseven for the MHO.

[PBandJ_Nerd]

It could also be the quality of food too, not just price wise. I mean, why pay a high amount of money for something that is better at another place with better quality of food?

[JacobJordan]

People don't eat McDonald's or burger King cause it tastes good they eat it because it is cheap as fuck. McDonald's and burger King make billions of dollars a year they have absolutely no business increasing prices for food that remains the exact same shit quality it has been for decades. I have no qualms paying 20$ for a burger if the burger is decent quality. I have paid far more for a meal at an average restaurant but if I am going to McDonald's or burger King I am going there because I am in a hurry and I am not looking to spend a lot. For 20$ I could go to a grocery store buy a pound of ground beef buns pickles and ketchup and make my own burgers and it would be far better.

[exitseven]

Exactly. Are fast food places on the endangered species list?

[JacobJordan]

I think restaurants and fast food as a whole are becoming more and more endangered. The quality of food doesn't get better but the cost keeps increasing. They continue to add extra fees and charges (for example a lot of places do 18% service charge and expect a tip) other places utilize a tip pool and tip out the kitchen. When I tip I am tipping 1 person I am not tipping 13 servers and 6 cooks. If I am going to tip cooks I tip them directly and I have. I have gone to a restaurant and the food was phenomenal the service was great. I asked the server if they ran a tip pool she said yes I asked if they were allowed to keep tips on the down low. She said no. So I asked to speak with a manager and explained that I am tipping the server only and not the rest of the staff because they were too cheap to pay them. And I would come back to check. I then asked if the cooks could come out when available. I tipped them all directly for a job well done and I tipped the server. I did go back a few days later to check if they had stolen her tip for the tip pool. Another huge thing is restaurants need to pay staff a living wage. Not minimum wage a LIVABLE wage. People would be far more willing to pay a higher price if they knew the staff were paid well and the tip was optional. I have spent a fair amount of time in Europe over the years and staff are paid a livable wage and a tip is for good service and is a bonus. As such food prices are a bit higher no one has an issue with that.

[menina]

Perhaps some are eating out less because of the costs and others because they have an healthier diet now.

Either way, I still see a lot of people eating out where I live but maybe that's because I'm not in the US. It might be different there.

[exitseven]

Things are tough in America today

[menina]

Yes, I've heard that. I hope they get better soon.

[loveslongnails]

I don't know where you're eating, but I can get a The Burger King combo for under $10. I can also get a medium size burger combo meal with fries and a medium drink for $9.68 at Checkers, which I like better than Mickey D's or BK anyway. They also have a $4.50 "pick 2" a la carte menu, choosing from a burger, fish sandwich, chicken sandwich or a coney dog. I bring my own drink which costs $1, get a burger and a fish sandwich and the whole thing is less than $6.

I realize prices are higher in bigger cities, but how often should you eat fast food anyway? Not very much. Restaurant chains consolidate or close after a time anyway. People are working more from home, so they're definitely not eating out as much during lunch or stopping off for dinner on the way home from work. They're also eating less fast food in general, I believe.

[Anonymous]

The closure of Burger King stores may be influenced by various factors, including shifts in consumer preferences, economic conditions, and competition. The rising cost of meals and increased wages can impact consumer choices, leading some to reconsider dining out or choose more cost-effective options. Whether people are willing to pay $20 for a fast food meal depends on individual preferences, financial circumstances, and perceived value.

[exitseven]

Yes, where I live there have been restaurants that have opened and for a year or two itvis always mobbed and on weekends you have to wait an hour to get seated. Then all of a sudden you go on Saturday night and the place is half full. The next thing you know it is closed and will be something else

[Opinion Owner]

The restaurant industry can be dynamic and influenced by various factors such as changing trends, competition, and economic conditions. The initial excitement and high demand for a new restaurant may wane over time, leading to fluctuations in customer traffic. The reasons behind closures and transformations can vary, including management issues, evolving consumer preferences, or economic challenges faced by the establishment.

[Jbear27]

Burger King is gross. I don’t know anyone whom has eaten there unless it’s the only thing in the area. I think it should have closed down 20 years ago to be honest. B it as far as people eating out less, nah I think people eat out all the time still. In fact the art of cooking at home seems to be lost on most modern women. Uber eats seems to be what everyone does since women work now and don’t feel much like cooking when they get home. I work 12-18 hour shifts but I still come home to my kids and make them a home cooked meal.

[abc3643]

It's not the pay that is causing 400 BKs to shut down. If that was so, then the whole industry would be shutting down. And inflation isn't the reason either otherwise we'd have had no fast food by 1982 because inflation was considerably higher then than now.

According to Business Insider, BK's CEO:

The chain is targeting "older and lower performing restaurants" for closures, the company CEO said.

...

"We closed older and lower performing restaurants to support a more modern system increasingly run by better operators," Kobuza said.

That said, eating at fast food restaurants is noticeably higher and more difficult for families. But fast food really shouldn't be for families anyway.

People are reallocating their time, money, and food choices primarily due to cultural changes. The pandemic was a significant part of that.

[abc3643]

This may help... It's from the industry magazine Restaurant Business Online.

www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/.../burger-king-keeps-closing-weaker-restaurants

[AviatorTom]

I don't think people are eating out less, they are eating less fast food, and fast food competition is at an all-time high.

This is just a minor correction for Burger King, which has almost 7000 stores in the US. Every business makes corrections from time to time; most of these 400 stores being closed are just not profitable.

[FreyaRed]

Burger King belongs to RBI like Popeyes or Tim Hortons. Some restaurants will close, others will change franchise to more expensive ones and some restaurant operators will move to growing economies. Stagnation is regression in for people in capital assets business.

[Jaximus-Lion]

I hope so... There is a lot of people, adults that can't cook basic meals , the order fast food and yet complain about their economy. Learn to cook and save a lot of money to do/buy other things

[DubiousIntentions]

Burger King was going downhill. Plus the one by my house was always getting my order wrong because he could not speak English well as he was Korean. But they were better than McDonald's, in my opinion.

[lightbulb27]

I Would wonder and what markets or if they were very politically correct in distributing that loss

[lightbulb27]

I don’t know this is a statistical answer but we don’t touch that stuff unless we were very desperate

[exitseven]

I know that most of the ones near where I live have closed. The one in town is a chic A felet

[jennifer_bloom]

I did not know they were closing down their restaurants but I was always surprised at how low their prices were when you consider the rising cost of food after the pandemic happened. I would be willing to pay up to an extra $3.00 per burger on top of their current price but if they keep raising their prices beyond that, I will take my business to another restaurant.

[NathanDavis]

people are not eating out less... they have just gotten way more options

and many options that are better than the bland and already tried food chains like McDonalds and Burger King

[exitseven]

Yes, we have a local chain that is way better than a fast food place and you can get a good dinner for around 20 bucks.

[DextroShade]

The main appeal of these places is the low price; if they aren't significantly cheaper than a better burger place like 5 Guys or What-a-Burger then there is no incentive for people to pay the same price for crappier foid.

[RavVid]

Burger King is eating out? It has got to the point of costing the same as a main meal at a good cafe and isn't worth it.

[Unycorn]

Yes but because of the waste, the quality and the pattys...

[Unycorn]

I didn't mean the pattys, meant the bread.

[Jennz6]

I don’t eat fast food like Burger King or McDonalds

[TrueConfection]

My husband and I are eating out a LOT less.

[TrueConfection]

Neither of us care much for fast food, so we won't miss BK much.

[exitseven]

We have been getting takeout more than dining out lately.

[TrueConfection]

That's still expensive. We used to get a tray of ziti on occasion for $20. I ordered one recently and it was $60! It doesn't even come with garlic bread anymore.

[Iron_Man]

I hope not. It’s my favorite fast food restaurant in the world.

[LiamJHayden]

The prices have exceeded what a large portion of their customer base can afford or justify.

[Fuentes]

How sad lol honestly have t ate red meat In years but still sad

[Sharkstealth]

Burger King used to be good. Not so much now. It's my last choice for burger fast food now.

[Anonymous]

So sad to see a company who donated millions to a presidential candidate get absolutely wrecked by that same president’s policies.

[Anonymous]

that's not very many stores for them so I'm not too worried about it.

[pickles77]

You can get more for 12$ at a diner

[pickles77]

I also wonder where they are closing, Burger King is an international franchise

[RedInnocent68]

Good riddance…

[Lokiion]

It’s nasty anyways