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Some Australian fast-food prices rose by more than 50% between 2019 and 2023, according to examples reported by PerthNow. The figures apply to specific items and offers—not every menu item at KFC, Hungry Jack’s or McDonald’s—and the comparisons use different ordering channels and conditions.
What the reported price increases were
PerthNow’s 16 June 2023 report compared selected prices from 2019 with prices in 2023. Its examples show substantial increases, but they are not a controlled comparison of each chain’s whole menu.
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| Chain and item | Earlier price | Later price | Reported change and conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald’s cheeseburger | $3.15 in 2019 | $5 in 2023 | 58% increase, as reported by PerthNow, which attributed the comparison to a Daily Mail Australia article. |
| Hungry Jack’s, two Whoppers | $7.95 in 2019 | $11.95 in 2023 | More than 50% increase; the example used vouchers, according to PerthNow. |
| KFC 15-piece Original Recipe meal | $15 in 2019 | $24.40 in 2023 | 62% increase using app prices, according to PerthNow. |
Those figures are nominal prices over roughly four years. The products, portions, channels and offer conditions differ, so they should not be treated as a like-for-like ranking of which chain is most expensive.
Why other price comparisons show smaller increases
A separate analysis reported by The Guardian on 21 June 2023 (amended 8 November 2024) summarized UBS findings using different time periods and a six-product sample. UBS analysis found average KFC prices had risen 14.7% over the prior year and McDonald’s prices had risen 8% since August. Across its six-product sample, KFC items averaged a 6% discount to McDonald’s equivalents, compared with an 18% discount a year earlier.
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The UBS figures are not 2019–2023 changes and do not contradict the larger increases in PerthNow’s selected examples: the dates, products and measures differ. The analysis also found KFC products were typically cheaper than their McDonald’s equivalents in that sample, despite faster price rises. Collins Foods operates some, but not all, Australian KFC and Taco Bell outlets, as The Guardian noted.
Prices can vary by store and ordering method
The PerthNow examples did not all come from the same channel. The report said its McChicken comparison used the MyMaccas app and its Filet-O-Fish comparison used Uber Eats; Hungry Jack’s examples used vouchers, while the KFC example used app prices. An app offer, voucher or delivery listing is not necessarily the same price a customer sees ordering at a counter.
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PerthNow also reported in July 2022 that prices could vary between stores by 10–20 cents. That local variation matters when checking a price: the store, date and ordering channel should match before treating two prices as a direct comparison.
One reported McDonald’s comparison paired 24 nuggets at $10 with 18 nuggets at $11.95. That is both a price and quantity change. On the figures reported, the earlier offer cost about 41.7 cents per nugget and the later one about 66.4 cents per nugget; the unit price rose by roughly 59%. These calculations use only the reported bundle prices and quantities, not a verified current offer.
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What changed in the earlier 2022 snapshot
A separate PerthNow report from 30 July 2022 gives examples from an earlier period, which should not be mixed with the 2019–2023 comparisons:
- A McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder rose from $7.65 to $8.60.
- A KFC 21-piece bucket rose by $3.50 to $38.45.
- A Hungry Jack’s Whopper rose by 60 cents.
In that report, Richard Hill, licensee of seven Western Australian McDonald’s outlets, described the operating environment as “the toughest environment I’ve ever seen” in his 40 years in the business. He also said shipping costs had changed significantly, describing the cost of a piece of equipment as double what it had been two years earlier. Those comments provide business-cost context; they do not establish how much of any particular menu increase came from a specific cost.
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How to check whether a fast-food price has risen
For a useful comparison, record the same details for both dates rather than relying on a headline percentage:
- Match the product and quantity. Compare the same item, serving size and bundle, or calculate the price per unit when the quantity differs.
- Match the channel and offer. Separate in-store prices from app, voucher and delivery prices.
- Match the location. Use the same restaurant where possible, since store prices may vary.
- Keep the dates clear. A one-year change and a four-year change answer different questions; neither is a current price unless checked now.
- Calculate the percentage consistently. Subtract the earlier price from the later price, divide by the earlier price, then multiply by 100.
What these figures say about prices now
The reported comparisons document historical increases, not current Australian menu prices. The available reporting does not establish chain-wide prices as of October 2026. To assess what a meal costs now, check the relevant chain’s current menu or ordering app for the specific restaurant and channel, then compare it with an earlier price on the same basis.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
