The 10 Chain Restaurants Considered Most Overpriced in the U.S.
Shake Shack Leads the Pack in Customer Complaints
Something shocking happened when researchers analyzed nearly sixty thousand customer reviews across America’s biggest cities. Among the thousands of local and chain eateries considered in the study, Shake Shack received more complaints about overpriced food than any other restaurant chain. The gourmet burger joint, which once positioned itself as an upscale alternative to typical fast food, now faces the harsh reality of customer backlash. The online language tutoring marketplace Preply recently analyzed nearly 60,000 Google reviews for more than 10,000 restaurants in the top 50 cities in the United States. Preply pinpointed the most overpriced restaurants by looking for keywords such as “overpriced,” “pricey,” “expensive,” and “rip-off” in their Google reviews.
What makes this particularly stinging for Shake Shack customers is the timing. An analysis found that Shake Shack has the most customer complaints about overly expensive fast food in America in 2024. Shake Shack then raised prices again in October by 1.5% to offset inflation but said it plans to roll off some of those price increases in the first quarter of 2025. Even when you’re paying premium prices, you’re essentially getting fast food served on real plates.
Five Guys Gets Slammed for “Out of Control” Pricing
Right behind Shake Shack in the overpriced hall of shame sits Five Guys, a chain that customers now describe as having prices that are completely “out of control.” Five Guys, whose prices have been decried as “out of control,” and Sugar Factory followed Shake Shack as the chains with the second and third most overpriced food complaints. When you consider that a basic burger and fries at Five Guys can easily cost upward of twenty dollars in many markets, the customer frustration becomes crystal clear.
At Five Guys, burgers with two beef patties cost between roughly $9 and $13, depending on where in the country you dine – and that’s before you add the famous Five Guys fries. The painful reality is that what used to be an affordable family outing has morphed into a luxury experience that many Americans can no longer justify. The brand’s commitment to fresh ingredients and never-frozen patties once justified the premium, but inflation has pushed their pricing into territory that feels downright punitive to regular folks.
Carl’s Jr. Joins the Expensive Fast Food Club
Carl’s Jr. rounds out the top three most overpriced fast-food chains, proving that even regional favorites aren’t immune to customer wrath over pricing. Five Guys and Carl’s Jr. rounded out the top three spots for most overpriced fast-food chains. Carl’s Jr.’s prices also vary from one location to the next, but a single hamburger is typically between $6.19 and $6.79. While those prices might not seem astronomical compared to their competitors, customers are increasingly vocal about the disconnect between what they pay and what they receive.
The West Coast burger chain has struggled to maintain its identity as a working-class favorite while dealing with the same cost pressures affecting the entire industry. What’s particularly frustrating for customers is the inconsistency in pricing across locations, making it impossible to budget for a meal with any certainty.
Waffle House Shocks with Nearly 100% Price Increases
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping revelation comes from the breakfast chain that was once synonymous with affordable comfort food. Waffle House took the top spot with a staggering 96 percent price hike, followed by IHOP at 82 percent. For example, Waffle House increased every item on its menu by at least 71 percent, with some menu staples – like their signature hashbrowns and grilled chicken biscuits – seeing increases of over 100 percent. These numbers are so outrageous they almost seem like typos, but they’re not.
The beloved Southern institution has betrayed its core promise of being an accessible place for everyone from truckers to college students. The study, which tracked 16 chain restaurants from 2020 to 2024, found that all of them raised their prices above the national average inflation rate of 22 percent. When your signature hash browns cost more than an entire meal used to cost, you’ve lost your way as a brand.
IHOP Follows Closely with Astronomical Increases
The International House of Pancakes has turned into the International House of Price Shock, with increases that would make a loan shark blush. IHOP increased by 82%, while Waffle House, they say, is up 96%. Finance Buzz reports IHOP prices up 82%, Waffle House 96%, with inflation rising 22%. This chain once marketed itself as a family-friendly destination where parents could afford to take their kids for weekend breakfast treats.
The irony is painful when you consider that IHOP built its reputation on generous portions at reasonable prices. Now customers find themselves paying steakhouse prices for pancakes and eggs, creating a cognitive dissonance that’s driving families away from what used to be a reliable breakfast tradition.
Texas Roadhouse and TGI Friday’s Hit the Mid-40% Range
Two casual dining staples have shocked customers with price increases that far exceed what most Americans have experienced in their own paychecks. Finance Buzz says IHOP and Waffle House had the steepest increases, followed by Texas Roadhouse and TGI Fridays. They’re both up about 45%, whereas inflation is up 22% since 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These restaurants once occupied the sweet spot between fast food and upscale dining, but their pricing has pushed them firmly into expensive territory.
The particular sting comes from the fact that both chains built their brands on being the place where regular folks could enjoy a night out without breaking the bank. Texas Roadhouse, TGI Fridays, Applebee’s, and other American-style restaurants raised prices by around 40 percent. Texas Roadhouse, TGI Fridays, Applebee’s, and other American-style restaurants raised prices by around 40 percent. When your neighborhood grill suddenly costs forty percent more, it’s no longer your neighborhood grill.
Applebee’s Raises Prices While Losing Lower-Income Customers
The “neighborhood grill” has priced out a significant chunk of its actual neighbors, creating a vicious cycle of higher prices and fewer customers. According to FinanceBuzz, Applebee’s have raised their prices by 41% from 2020 to 2024. The Quesadilla Burger was $10.49 five years ago and is now $15.99. This specific example perfectly illustrates how a once-reasonable meal has crossed into expensive territory that many families simply cannot justify.
Sales at US Applebee’s locations open at least a year slumped 4.6% in the first quarter. In that period, customers who earn $50,000 a year or less visited less often, and spent less when they did, Peyton said, adding that the demographic makes up about 45% of Applebee’s customers. The chain is losing exactly the customers it was designed to serve, proving that their pricing strategy is fundamentally flawed. When nearly half your customer base can no longer afford to eat at your restaurant, you’re not running a neighborhood grill anymore.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Commands Premium Prices for Premium Backlash
High-end steakhouses have always been expensive, but Ruth’s Chris has reached a level where even affluent customers are questioning the value proposition. For a New York strip steak, it’s asking $61. That’s pretty standard for this type of steakhouse, but still a lot of cash to drop on your red meat fix. The problem isn’t just the steak prices, but the total experience cost that can easily exceed two hundred dollars per person once you add appetizers, sides, drinks, and dessert.
“The imbalance between Ramsay’s star power and the actual dining experience often leaves visitors questioning whether they’ve paid for fame rather than flavor.” This criticism extends beyond celebrity restaurants to established chains like Ruth’s Chris, where customers increasingly feel they’re paying for the name on the building rather than exceptional food quality.
The Capital Grille Draws Fire for Generic Experience at Premium Prices
Despite its upscale positioning, The Capital Grille has earned criticism for delivering a disappointingly generic experience that doesn’t justify its hefty price tag. The meat dishes run from $63 to $90. When you include appetizers, cocktails, wine, side dishes, and desserts, the per-person meal cost could easily run north of $100 and probably close to $150, especially when you factor in the tip. These numbers represent serious money for most American families, creating expectations that the chain often fails to meet.
Customer reviews paint a picture of disappointment that stings particularly hard given the investment required. Well, one reviewer on Reddit, talking about the Louisville, Kentucky location, called The Capital Grille, “way, way overpriced and very underwhelming.” They also said their meal cost $300 to $400 for two diners. When two people can spend four hundred dollars on dinner and walk away feeling ripped off, something is fundamentally wrong with the value equation.
Olive Garden Gets Caught in the Price Spiral Despite Value Positioning
Even chains that position themselves as value options have been forced to raise prices significantly, creating a confusing market where traditional hierarchies no longer make sense. The trend Cardenas notes comes at a time when consumers are seeing fast food as unaffordable, with 78% of Americans calling fast food a “luxury” because of its price tag, and 60% saying they plan to cut back on burgers and fries because they’re so expensive. This puts mid-tier chains like Olive Garden in the awkward position of being expensive compared to home cooking but still cheaper than true upscale dining.
On a June 2024 earnings call, executives from Darden Restaurants, the company who own Olive Garden and other chains, predicted a 2% – 3% price increase for 2025. In response, loyal Olive Garden customers have expressed their frustration since the quality of the food hasn’t matched the increase in cost. The chain finds itself in a no-win situation where they must raise prices to maintain margins while simultaneously disappointing customers who expect better food quality to justify those increases.
The Bigger Picture: When Dining Out Becomes a Luxury
These pricing trends reflect a fundamental shift in American dining culture that extends far beyond any individual restaurant chain. According to a 2024 LendingTree survey, most Americans now see hitting the drive-thru as a “luxury.” In addition, 65% of Americans have been “shocked” by their fast-food bill in the last few months. When two-thirds of Americans are experiencing sticker shock at fast-food restaurants, we’ve crossed into territory that threatens the entire casual dining industry.
Ultimately, 2025 is the time to leave casual dining alone because nothing about these prices looks so casual anymore. This sentiment captures the frustration millions of Americans feel as restaurants that once provided affordable entertainment and convenience have priced themselves out of reach for regular use. The industry has created a situation where eating out has become an occasional splurge rather than a routine part of American life, fundamentally changing the relationship between restaurants and their customers.
Who would have thought that grabbing a burger and fries could become as expensive as a nice dinner out used to be? The restaurant industry’s pricing revolution has left millions of Americans reconsidering whether that quick meal is really worth it anymore.
What Restaurants Are Doing to Win Back Budget-Conscious Diners
Some smart chains aren’t just sitting around watching customers flee – they’re actually fighting back with creative strategies that might surprise you. McDonald’s recently brought back their $5 meal deal after watching sales plummet, and it’s working better than anyone expected. Taco Bell has doubled down on their value menu philosophy, proving that you can still make money without charging $15 for a basic combo meal. Even premium chains like Panera are scrambling to introduce budget-friendly options after realizing they’ve priced out their core customer base. The most interesting trend? Several restaurants are now offering “happy hour” pricing for food, not just drinks, essentially admitting that their regular prices have gotten completely out of hand. It’s almost like watching a retail store have a permanent sale – except in this case, the “sale” prices are what meals used to cost just five years ago.
The Franchise Owners Caught in the Middle of the Price War
While corporate executives debate pricing strategies in boardrooms, there’s a group getting absolutely crushed by this whole mess – franchise owners. These small business operators are stuck between corporate mandates pushing higher prices and customers who’ve started voting with their wallets by staying home. Take a typical McDonald’s franchisee who’s watched their customer traffic drop 15% while corporate keeps pushing premium menu items that locals simply can’t afford. They’re paying the same franchise fees and rent, but serving fewer customers who are increasingly angry about prices they didn’t set. Some franchise owners are getting creative, offering unauthorized discounts or local promotions that technically violate their franchise agreements. The really heartbreaking part? Many of these operators took out massive loans to buy their franchises when times were good, and now they’re trapped in contracts that force them to alienate their own communities with pricing that feels almost predatory.
