Cities in the Great Lakes region top the list of where consumers spend the most on fast food.
That's according to a new analysis from WalletHub, which compared the combined cost of a fast-food burger, fried chicken sandwich and pizza across the 100 largest U.S. cities. The totals were then measured against each city's median household income to determine where fast food is least and most affordable. Fast food prices have risen by 3.2% over the past year, outpacing inflation and making quick meals increasingly expensive.
Detroit topped the list, with fast food accounting for 0.73% of median monthly household income, followed by Cleveland (0.70%), Buffalo, N.Y. (0.60%), Hialeah, Fla. (0.58%) and Toledo, Ohio (0.57%). Birmingham, Ala. (0.57%), Newark, N.J. (0.54%), Milwaukee (0.54%), Baltimore (0.54%) and Memphis (0.53%) rounded out the top 10.
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"Fast food has grown more and more expensive in recent years, outpacing inflation," said Chip Lupo, writer and analyst at WalletHub. "As a result, it's worthwhile for consumers to think critically about whether the convenience of fast food really justifies the cost - and about ...