It’s not exactly a secret that nothing is cheap anymore — including fast food, once the go-to for a quick, affordable meal. A 2024 FinanceBuzz study found that prices at major chains have jumped nearly 60% over the last decade, far outpacing inflation. And it’s not just burgers and burritos taking the hit.
Sides — the Robins to your Batmans — are supposed to stay in the sidekick lane when it comes to price. Instead, they’ve gone to the dark side. According to the study, items like fries and hash browns have seen some of the steepest price hikes in recent years.
Here are 10 fast-food sides that are now obscenely expensive.
McDonald’s: Fries
McDonald’s fries have always been the chain’s top seller. But they’re also one of the items that got hit hardest by price hikes.
In 2014, a medium order cost $1.59. In 2024, it’s $3.79 — a 138% increase, according to FinanceBuzz, which named McD’s the chain with the sharpest menu inflation over the past decade. Fries were among the biggest jumps. The price more than doubled without any major changes to size or ingredients.
Even the most die-hard fans are not loving the supersized price of fries that seem to shrink more with every order. In 2023, McDonald’s CEO admitted customers were buying fewer items per visit, and fries were one of the first to go. On Reddit, users say they “cost an obscene amount compared to other things.”
McDonald’s: Hash Browns
The one-dollar breakfast era is long gone. In 2019, a hash brown at McDonald’s cost $1.09. In 2024, it’s $2.29 — a 110% increase.
Popeyes: Cajun Fries
On the menu since the early 2000s, Popeyes’ Cajun Fries have been somewhat dividing fried chicken fans — some loving the heavy seasoning, others calling them soggy and cardboardy at the same time.
But everyone agrees on one thing: they’ve gotten stupidly expensive. A large went from $3.99 in 2014 to $7.79 in 2024. That’s a 95% jump for what’s basically a side of spiced-up freezer fries.
One Reddit thread showing a small portion priced at $4.29 blew up with complaints — people calling it “barely a quarter of a potato,” comparing it to the cost of a whole frozen bag, or just saying they’re done with fast food altogether.
Popeyes: Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Here is another Popeyes’ potato based side that complements your fried chicken, but not your wallet. In 2014, mashed potatoes with gravy cost $1.79 but increased to $4.19 in 2024 for the same small portion and same salty gravy.
Popeyes: Biscuit
For under a buck, Popeyes’ buttery biscuits were a reasonable add-on — something you’d grab without a second thought. Back in 2014, they were $0.79, and today they’re $1.50 — a 90% jump.
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Chipotle: Guacamole
Guac is extra, all right. Extra expensive. The same stingy scoop in the same little plastic cup that used to be a $1.80 add-on in 2014 now runs $2.95 in 2024 — a 64% jump.
Arby’s: Jalapeño Bites
Arby’s Jalapeño Bites are one of the chain’s most beloved sides, especially paired with that sticky-sweet Bronco Berry Sauce. But what many fans don’t love is the price — because it nearly doubled.
A five-piece order went from $2.69 in 2014 to $5.29 in 2024, a 97% increase. And it’s not like they got crunchier, bigger, or spicier. It’s still the same snack-size portion with a dip on the side.
Chick-fil-A: Waffle Fries
Chick-fil-A’s Waffle Fries have always been the safe bet and one of the more reasonably priced sides. Until recently. A medium went from $1.65 in 2014 to $2.35 in 2024, a 42% increase, which admittedly is not the worst hike on this list, but still a noticeable bump for something that used to feel like a value.
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Waffle House: Hashbrowns
Waffle House hashbrowns were never fancy but always reliable. What they’re not anymore is cheap. The breakfast chain had the biggest price hikes in a separate FinanceBuzz study, and hashbrowns led the charge. A regular order went from $1.95 in 2020 to $4.20 in 2025, a 110% increase. How would you like them now — scattered, or smothered in markup?
Burger King: Onion Rings
These never fooled anyone into thinking they were real onion rings, but for a few bucks, nobody cared. Now they’re pushing $3 for a medium of battered, deep-fried onion paste. Back in 2014, they were $2.09. In 2024, it was $2.99 — a 43% bump.
