Part 2/10:
A walk down memory lane reveals how the industry has shifted dramatically. Decades ago, McDonald's offered a dollar menu, making it easy and inexpensive to grab two items for a few dollars. Today, that same experience costs more than five times as much, with medium fries alone nearing $4. If you add a couple of burgers and a drink, the bill can easily reach $15 or more. One commenter shared an eye-opening story: taking two teenagers to McDonald's recently resulted in a near $40 total — an amount that was unimaginable just a few years ago.