• BigBenis@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Do these companies not realize their whole business model is cheap food for broke people? I lived off of $5 footlongs when I was a student. There’s no way I could have afforded that with the prices they’re charging now. And now that I do have disposable income and could afford their food I wouldn’t go there anyway because there are way better options for the same price.

    • Thebeardedsinglemalt@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Taco Bell used to be a goto, then they tried to get too creative and half their stuff became a sloppy greasy mess. Now you can’t go and simply get 3 soft tacos and a drink for under $10 and they seem to change the menu every other week.

      BRING BACK THE 2 MENUS AT THE DRIVE THRU SO I CAN DECIDE ON MY ORDER WHILE THE DOLT IN THE MINIVAN IN FRONT OF ME IS ORDERING FOR 12 PEOPLE!

      • BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        I really really want to be on your side, Taco bell has gone crazy on the prices and I hate it.

        But, on the other hand, it sounds like you haven’t even had the crispy cantina taco meal and that’s not a life I’d wish on anybody.

      • Entertainmeonly@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        4 months ago

        Where are you? I just got on the app and 3 soft shell tacos and a large drink is $9.13 after tax. That’s still more than I would pay for that especially seeing as the build your own cravings box is only $6.48 after tax and comes with much better options. I seriously am flabbergasted when I read the prices people are saying they pay.

        • MufinMcFlufin@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          Where I’m at, the price for the boxes are minimum $8 or $9, most of the combos are $11-$15 before tax, and they change their menu so often that I can’t be bothered going there. 3 years ago the prices were a lot closer to what you’re seeing.

          I used to go there pretty often, but with the prices going up particularly in the last few years and with the additional inconvenience of having to learn what their new gimmick of the week item is and what box or combo items they’ve removed to make space for it, I just can’t be bothered. Also because eventually I realized that there’s a local Mexican restaurant that sells bigger, better burritos for cheaper in a gas station closer to my work than Taco Bell is. Only downside is them not having a drive through.

          • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            Yep. Tried to add points with my receipt the other day, and it refused to access the camera to scan the barcode, and refused to give me a keyboard so I could manually input the code.

            The only saving grace they have right now is that they brought back a $7 cravings box meal. Filling and only $7.54 with tax.

            • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              Yep. Tried to add points with my receipt the other day, and it refused to access the camera to scan the barcode, and refused to give me a keyboard so I could manually input the code.

              But at least it ignores your preferences and makes the stupid “bong” sound when you tell it not to.

    • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      I guess I’m thinking more of fast food places: After they got cheap food market, they had to keep growing so they tried to be semi fancy to convince people to go there instead of restaurants. It was back when people had more money / lower cost of living. They got too optimistic. Now we’re back to wanting cheap cheap cheap.

      • Dozzi92@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Back in high school, which coincidentally were my weed days, the state tax in NJ allowed us to do the 4.20 meal: JBC, small nuggets, small fries, small frostee. They were all off the dollar menu (which I understand isn’t a thing anymore), and came to 3.96, with 24¢ tax. It was a beautiful thing and honestly sold itself. If Wendy’s, or any fast burger joint, were to bring back a 4.20 meal, I have to imagine some young stoners having a giggle and ordering it. And then, the ingredients and their ability to tug on people’s addiction centers, do the rest of the work.

        • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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          4 months ago

          Back in highschool, actually before my stoner days but I still hung out with that crowd, Dairy Queen had burgers, 2 for $4; with a 5% GST and no PST, I giggled a bit every time I ordered them, which was 3 or 4 days a week

    • BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      I think they’ve realized that they’ve successfully trained poor people to not know how to cook and then there aren’t any options left if they all band together.

      • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        I wonder if there’s software that makes pricing cartels easier to form now.

        Banding together is supposed to be economically unstable because anyone who undercuts on price is supposed to capture the market.

        Drug cartels can punish defectors with violence. Is there some new mechanism legal businesses are using to punish pricing cartel defectors? Maybe it’s lawsuits?