In 1949, a nine-item meal at McDonald’s cost just $1.14, a stark contrast to today’s prices, where ordering similar dishes can cost over $20. This remarkable development reflects the changing landscape of the fast-food industry over the course of nearly eight decades.

How McDonald’s went from a barbecue joint to a fast-food icon with 15-cent burgers

In 1940, brothers Maurice and Richard McDonald founded McDonald’s, a barbecue restaurant in San Bernardino, California. Initially offering barbecued pork, chili, ham and beans, they changed their business model in 1948 after noticing that burgers were the most popular dish. After closing for three months for remodeling, they reopened with a streamlined menu of nine items, including a hamburger for just 15 cents.

At the time, all of the items on the new menu cost less than a quarter, which was an affordable option even for the time. The cheapest item on the original barbecue menu, a cup of coffee, cost just 5 cents, while the most expensive, a barbecue plate or hamburger steak, cost 60 cents. With the new menu, the price of coffee doubled to 10 cents, and dessert was a vanilla, chocolate or strawberry milkshake for 20 cents. In 1949, McDonald’s replaced potato chips with the now-legendary French fries, which cost 10 cents per serving.

The McDonald brothers were able to offer this new menu at such low prices because they developed an innovative Speedee Service System inspired by the assembly lines of the Ford Motor Company. This system allowed workers to quickly produce hamburgers and cheeseburgers, which were then kept warm under heat lamps and could be served to customers within minutes. This efficient model laid the foundation for a global fast-food empire.

In 1949, you could buy four McDonald’s meals for $5 – today it costs over $20 for nine dishes

In 1949, someone could buy four McDonald’s meals with a $5 bill and still have money left over for a few extra dishes. The nine-item meal cost a total of $1.14, which, adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to about $15 in 2024. In contrast, buying nine similar items from McDonald’s meals in 2024 will cost over $20, about $6 more than the inflation-adjusted estimate.

Today, nearly eight decades later, McDonald’s menu has grown to over 50 items, including modern versions of the original nine. For example, orange soda has been replaced with Fanta Orange, and chocolate milk is now available in addition to regular milk. The menu also includes new offerings such as cappuccinos and espresso-based drinks. Although prices have increased significantly, purchasing one item on the modern menu would cost a total of just under $600.

From Big Mac to Happy Meal: How the price of McDonald’s classics has evolved since their introduction

Other iconic McDonald’s products, such as the Big Mac, Egg McMuffin, and Happy Meal, were introduced decades later. The Big Mac launched in 1968 for $0.49, equivalent to $4.43, but by August 2024, the price had risen to about $7. The Egg McMuffin, McDonald’s first breakfast product, was introduced in 1975 for $0.63, or around $4.

In 1979, McDonald’s introduced the Happy Meal, which offered a hamburger, fries, a soft drink, cookies, and a small toy for just $1.10. Today, children can choose between hamburgers or Chicken McNuggets, with more nutritious options like apple slices and milk, juice, or water instead of soda. Although the original price of $1.10 is equivalent to about $5 today, a Happy Meal will cost between $6.99 and $8.29 in 2024. Despite these price increases, McDonald’s continues to be successful, selling more than 70 burgers per second worldwide.