McDonald’s Sales Boosted by Poor Economy

By Sarah Matheny on August 11th, 2009

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Cheap.  Fast.  Easy.

I’m not talking about the female applicants for next season’s The Bachelor, I’m talking about the food at McDonald’s, although arguably both are considerably greasy and potentially disease-causing.

McDonald’s reports that their sales are up 4.3% this month, and they’re contributing the rise to budget conscious consumers looking to get a fast and filling meal without breaking the bank.

It’s always been a frustrating situation for those trying to make healthy choices for their families: whole foods from the grocery store cost more than the mass produced meals at fast food chains.  However, this is just a convenient excuse to pull through the drive-thru,  rather than crunching numbers and planning ahead to make healthier and cheaper meals at home.

A day in comparison:

McDonald’s:

• Breakfast:  McGriddle sandwich and hashbrowns: $3.09
• Lunch:  Cheeseburger Happy Meal (cheeseburger, fries, soda): $2.99
• Dinner:  Chicken Nuggets Value Meal (6 piece McNuggets, fries, soda): $3.99
• Total:  $10.07

At Home:

• Breakfast: Oatmeal (rolled oats w/raisins, milk and honey): $1.33
• Lunch:  Bean burrito (tortilla, beans, lettuce, salsa, avocado and cheese): $1.91
• Dinner: Chicken stir-fry (chicken, brown rice, mixed vegetables): $1.72
• Total:  $4.96

While cooking healthy meals at home requires a little forethought and prep time, you’ll not only reap the health benefits, but the economic benefits as well.   So do your family and your bank account a favor: skip the Golden Arches, hit the store and head to the kitchen.  At the least you’ll save a buck, and as an added bonus you’ll avoid scary clowns and filthy ball pits.