A McDonald’s Hamburger Now Costs 1,027% More

It should go without saying that McDonald's is arguably the most popular and best-recognized fast food establishment in the world. Ever since the introduction of the McDonald's brand in 1955, the Golden Arches company has served billions of hamburgers to customers.

Key Points

• There is no question that McDonald's has sold more hamburgers than most people can imagine.
• McDonald's has been serving its popular hamburger since 1955.
• McDonald's continues to rely on its inexpensive hamburgers to attract customers seeking value.
  

With its hamburgers being the most popular menu item for decades, it begs the question of how much these hamburgers have cost over the years. The origins of McDonald's almost take us back to the 1950s Americana, when milkshakes and hamburgers were staples of eating out.

At the very onset of McDonald's age in 1955, the cost of a hamburger at the first location in Des Plaines, Illinois, was priced at $0.15. The menu was initially relatively simple, with an emphasis on speed and volume. Most importantly, the hamburger was the star of the show on a menu that contained only nine items.

By the time 1960 rolled around, the start of a new decade saw McDonald's hamburgers priced at around $0.15. The company had grown to over 100 locations, and the hamburger remained its flagship item. By the time 1963 rolled around, McDonald's had claimed to have sold over one billion hamburgers.

According to a vintage menu from McDonald's in 1965, the price of a McDonald's hamburger was still hovering around 15 cents. At the time, a milkshake cost only 22 cents, while fries were priced the same as a hamburger at 15 cents. If you want a cheeseburger, you'd be charged a nickel for a 20-cent meal.

Looking back at the 1960s and 1970s, there was a significant price increase. The price jumped approximately 25% to 20 cents per hamburger. A milkshake was now 35 cents, while fries had also increased to 26 cents, and a large size was available for 20 cents more. While the 1960s appeared relatively stable in terms of pricing, it was the 1970s onward that saw a significant increase in McDonald's prices.

The jump between 1972 and 1975 for the price of a McDonald's hamburger wasn't all that drastic, with prices hovering right around 28 cents. Fries had not changed in price, nor had milkshakes, but it was clear that costs were affecting the pricing of meat, leading McDonald's to raise prices slightly in the mid-1970s.

Hovering around 48 cents per hamburger, the heavy inflation periods of the 1970s affected McDonald's pricing. The price was now roughly triple what it had been since its launch in 1955, indicating two decades of both growth and inflation. It was also in 1979 that McDonald's introduced the Happy Meal.

Depending on where you were around the country, the price of a hamburger in 1984 at McDonald's was around 55 cents. In some parts of the country, inflation and costs were driving the price as high as 70 cents for a single burger. Even with the introduction of Chicken McNuggets, the hamburger was still proving to be a real winner at McDonald's.

In 1989, the price of a McDonald's hamburger was $0.59, even after some parts of the country had seen the price shift up to $0.83. McDonald's reduced the price to 83 cents at some point in the 1980s, aiming to attract more customers to its locations with a lower price tag.

Priced at 69 cents, the price of a McDonald's hamburger allowed it to be one of the most affordable meals you could find in the fast food arena. McDonald's would continue to run heavy marketing campaigns highlighting its value proposition in the hopes of bringing in more customers.

By the time the millennia changed over, the price point for a McDonald's hamburger was right around $0.79. The hamburger has been and continues to be a staple feature on the McDonald's Dollar Menu, which launched in 2002. However, with costs rising nationwide, McDonald's would be unable to maintain pricing below the $1 level for much longer.

With the launch of the "Dollar Menu" in 2002, McDonald's was heavily focused on keeping the price of certain items as low as it could. A McDouble, which was a double cheeseburger with only a slice of cheese, was the original hamburger item, priced at $1.

Amid an economic recession, the demand for affordable items, such as a McDonald's hamburger, helped the company sell millions of hamburgers every day. As a result, the price remained pretty consistent, hovering between $1.00 and $1.29, depending on the location within the country.

If you jump back in time seven years, it's fair to say that the cost of a hamburger at McDonald's would be right around $1.09. A cheeseburger would increase the price by around 50 cents. However, compared to a Wendy's hamburger, which could be over $4, McDonald's was still able to claim itself as one of the most affordable fast food destinations.

According to the current McDonald's app, as of June 2025, the cost of a McDonald's hamburger is approximately $1.69 in Florida. It's worth noting that this difference may vary in other parts of the country, but if you want a single hamburger patty on a bun, this is the current asking price. A double hamburger, consisting of two beef patties, costs only $2.89.