Over the past decade, a growing number of consumers have been curbing their cravings for fast food. Rampant fast-flation — a portmanteau of fast food and inflation — has made even the simplest of fast foods unattainable for many Americans, compelling them to eat more meals at home instead of dining out.
A recent LendingTree survey of more than 2,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 78 found that although Americans still love the taste of fast food, they no longer deem it an affordable meal option due to high food costs. Seventy-eight percent of consumers now consider fast food to be a “luxury,” per the survey. Additionally, 71 percent of lower-income Americans who make less than $30,000 a year, 58 percent of parents with young children, 58 percent of Gen-Zers and 53 percent of women say they consider fast food to be a “luxury” because they’re struggling financially.
