The rising cost of fast food menu items has become a hot-button topic. The places that we have relied on for years to fill our bellies for $5 or $6 are now charging about double that for the same amount of food. It's gotten to the point where a fast food "value" meal costs about the same as a meal at a "nicer" sit-down restaurant.

Which Fast Food Restaurant is the Most Expensive in America?

Eat This, Not That just released a list of 2024's most expensive fast food restaurants in America, and the results "should" be surprising. I say "should" because throughout the history of fast food restaurants, no one would ever expect McDonald's to be the most expensive - but, that is what it has come to. McDonald's is now the most expensive fast food restaurant in the country, ahead of Five Guys (#2), and Wendy's (#3).

First Mcdonald's Restaurant Franchise
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A Lot Can Change in a Year

In a different article published in April of 2023, Wendy's was listed as the most expensive fast food joint in America. In that same article, McDonald's was still considered to be a budget-friendly option. That certainly doesn't seem to be the case in 2024.

There Are a LOT of McDonald's in Indiana

You're driving down the road in Indiana and you get a hankering for McDonald's. You see the Golden Arches just up ahead, but for some reason - let's just say traffic is insane - you can't get to it. Do not fret, you will most likely find another McD's if you just keep driving for a few minutes. In Indiana, you are never too far from a McDonald's, that's because there are (at the time of this writing) 326 locations in the Hoosier state.

READ MORE: Indiana School Janitor Earns Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent

There are more than 13,500 McDonald's locations in America, which seems like it would be the most of any fast food restaurant, but it's not - and it's not even close. I was shocked to learn that the fast food restaurant with the most locations in America is SUBWAY, with more than 20,500 locations.

The Best Fast Food Joints in America for Your Next Cross-Country Road Trip

15 Discontinued Fast Food Restaurant Items Kentucky/Indiana Folks Miss Most

Have you ever shown up to your favorite fast-food restaurant to order that one menu item you absolutely love only to find out they no longer serve it? You're not alone.

Gallery Credit: ANGEL WELSH