Fast-Food Spending Index Falls 4.0% to $366.8 Billion in May
Updated
Updated · CounterPunch · Jul 1
Fast-Food Spending Index Falls 4.0% to $366.8 Billion in May
1 articles · Updated · CounterPunch · Jul 1
Summary
$366.8 billion in May marked the index’s lowest annualized level since its September peak of $386.2 billion, extending an eight-month slide in real fast-food spending.
That drop points to weaker discretionary spending by lower- and middle-income consumers, a signal that households feel more financially squeezed despite standard measures showing rising real incomes.
Inflation and higher gas prices fit the downturn better than GLP-1 drugs: about 12% of adults were already using those medicines by 2024, yet fast-food spending still rose in 2023 and held roughly flat through 2024.
The index now aligns with weak consumer-confidence readings, suggesting behavior as well as sentiment is flashing broader economic unease.