Burger inside and out raised prices on some items at California establishments shortly after the state initiated a minimum wage increase for fast food workers.
Since April 1, the prices of a Double-Double burger, fries and a drink have increased by $0.25 to $0.50 depending on locations, the burger chain confirmed.
“We have increased prices at California restaurants to accompany an increase provided to associates at these locations,” Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick said in a statement Thursday.
The Fast Act took effect April 1 and provides fast food employees with a Starting salary of $20 per hour, up from the previous standard of $16. Since its passage, executives at chains like McDonald’s and Chipotle have said they would raise prices to offset wage increases.
Price increase reported in Los Angeles and San Francisco
The Double-Double combo now costs $11.44 in Los Angeles County, an increase of $0.76 from last year’s price, according to KTLA-TV.
Price increases were also reported at locations in San Francisco and the Daly City, Bay Area station. KRON-TV reported.
The starting wage for In-N-Out employees in California is $22 to $23 an hour, Warnick said.
In-N-Out president says prices won’t rise ‘that much’
Inside and outside Speaker Lynsi Snyder has already pledged to protect prices at the West Coast’s favorite burger chain despite the new minimum wage law.
In an interview in April, Snyder said NBC TODAY that private enterprise will not see drastic price increases in California after the passage of the Fast Act.
“I was sitting in vice president meetings and saying, ‘We can’t raise prices that much, we can’t,’” Snyder said. “Because I felt obligated to look out for our customers.”
Fast food prices have increased by 4.8% since 2023
Fast food prices have increased 4.8% since last year and 47% since 2014, while general inflation has increased 24%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A recent report from USA Today used information from a survey compiled by a team of journalists in 18 markets across the country to compare prices over the past 10 years.
The survey found that the average price of an average Big Mac meal increased from $5.69 in 2014 to $9.72 in 2024, an increase of about 70%. The price of an average Big Mac meal ranged from $7.89 in Houston to $15 in Seattle.
Contributor: Mary Walrath-Holdridge
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: In-N-Out Burger Confirms Price Hike in California After Minimum Wage Law
