McDonald’s CEO Sounds Alarm on Soaring Beef Prices

Americans feeling the squeeze at the grocery store aren’t imagining it and now the pain is hitting the drive-thru, too. McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski issued a stark warning this week that beef prices remain a serious problem as inflation continues to weigh down the economy.

On the company’s third-quarter earnings call, Kempczinski said the fast-food giant is battling what he called “sticky” inflation, with beef costs surging far above historical norms. The message was clear: Don’t expect prices to go down anytime soon.

“We’re seeing very, very high inflation around beef prices versus what we're used to historically,” Kempczinski said. “All of that just keeps putting pressure on the industry.”

And this isn’t a temporary blip. McDonald’s expects above-average inflation heading into 2026, making it harder for families to find affordable meals as Biden’s economic policies continue to fuel the cost-of-living crisis.

Let’s break down what’s really going on:

• Beef and veal prices jumped 14.7% year-over-year as of September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• Uncooked ground beef alone rose 12.9%, hitting consumers in the most common meal staples.

• A historic drought has pushed cattle inventory to its lowest point in 70 years, triggering a ripple effect across the entire meat supply chain.

Kempczinski referenced McDonald’s roots under Ray Kroc, saying the current landscape calls for a "grind-it-out" mindset. That’s corporate speak for buckle up things won’t improve fast.

While McDonald’s is navigating the crisis better than most thanks to tight franchisee coordination, even its global scale can’t fully shield it from Bidenomics. The so-called “Build Back Better” agenda has left working families paying more for everything, from Big Macs to baby formula.

To soften the blow and retain customers, McDonald’s has pulled out some old tricks, reviving its once wildly popular Monopoly game for the first time in nearly a decade, and bringing back the Snack Wrap earlier this year to much fanfare. But gimmicks can only go so far in the face of sustained inflation.

This isn’t just about fast food it’s another symptom of an economy where bad policy, weak leadership, and runaway government spending are leaving Americans behind. Whether you're buying groceries, paying rent, or grabbing lunch, you're paying more and getting less.

And the worst part? The White House still insists everything is just fine.

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