麦当劳涨价

近日，麦当劳对近20款核心餐品实施涨价，汉堡、小食普遍上调0.5-1元。

今天你练听力了吗？

🤔️小作业：

1. Which statement best reflects the author's overall argument about fast food pricing trends since 2019?

A. Fast food prices have risen primarily due to unavoidable inflationary pressure.

B. McDonald's price increases are extreme but still represent good value for convenience.

C. The traditional affordability of fast food has eroded faster than inflation justifies.

D. Rising prices are offset by improvements in food quality and menu innovation.

无注释原文：

McDonald's Prices Have Surged Since 2019 And The Numbers Are Brutal

From: The Takeout

One of the biggest draws of fast food is low prices – or at least it used to be. You may have noticed that fast food has become less affordable over the last few years, more than just a normal increase to match inflation. Data shows the supreme name in fast food, McDonald's, is raising its prices in a way that outpaces the average rate of inflation, with some items more than doubling in price since 2019. That means popular fast food value menu items just aren't a good value anymore.

Since 2015, the dollar has had an inflation rate of 3.17% per year. By that logic, something that cost $1 in 2015 should cost $1.37 in 2025. For McDonald's, that has been far from the truth. The McChicken cost $1 in 2018, but in 2025 it's priced at $3.10. That's a whopping 210% increase in just seven years. This is symptomatic of other items on McDonald's menu. A McDouble cost $1.19 in 2014 while today it's sold for $4.59, a 285% increase in 11 years.

While McDonald's corporate office says the price increases aren't as bad as data suggests (and prices of items differ in different parts of the country), even the numbers highlighted by the company show significant increases. To combat criticism for higher prices, the company pointed out that a Big Mac Meal has increased by a mere 27% from 2019 to 2024 ($7.29 to $9.29), but this is still above the average rate of inflation. So, while 2025 has been a great year for new fast food items, it's been a rough year for those trying to eat on a budget.

With news that McDonald's is changing prices once again, you may think you can pivot to other fast food restaurants for your comfort food fix – not so. Other fast food eateries are following suit by hiking prices, too. Popeyes, Chipotle, Taco Bell, and Jimmy John's have all increased their prices at more than double the national average inflation rate in 2025. In most areas, people are paying more than $10 per person for one fast food meal. With the rise of dollar store dinner recipes and healthier eating choices, this is no longer an attractive price point.

People have certainly noticed the change, too. Fans of McDonald's and other fast food joints have taken to Reddit to voice their frustrations. After seeing 2025 Big Mac Meal prices ($10.49), one user said, "At that price, you might as well go to Red Robin and tip to have someone bring it to you." Another agreed, saying, "I don't get why anyone goes there anymore. Overpriced and terrible."

Fast food restaurants still impress people with how they make and serve food so quickly, but the draw of affordability will only continue to fade. Franchise owners cite increases in labor costs and materials expenses, but corporate execs won't be eating those costs. Instead, it's passed on to the consumer. You can try to save money through deals on fast food apps, but it might be better to start working on simple home recipes instead.

- ◆ -

注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考

含注释全文：

McDonald's Prices Have Surged Since 2019 And The Numbers Are Brutal

From: The Takeout

One of the biggest draws of fast food is low prices – or at least it used to be. You may have noticed that fast food has become less affordable over the last few years, more than just a normal increase to match inflation. Data shows the supreme name in fast food, McDonald's, is raising its prices in a way that outpaces the average rate of inflation, with some items more than doubling in price since 2019. That means popular fast food value menu items just aren't a good value anymore.

快餐最大的吸引力之一是价格低廉——至少过去是这样。你可能已经注意到，过去几年里，快餐价格上涨幅度已超过正常通胀水平。数据显示，快餐行业的代表品牌麦当劳（McDonald's）涨价速度超过了平均通胀率。自2019年以来，部分产品价格甚至翻了一倍以上。这意味着，曾经以“高性价比”著称的快餐餐品，如今已不再划算。

surge /sɜːdʒ/ 1）作动词，表示“急剧上升；飞涨；剧增”，英文解释为“If something surges, it increases suddenly and greatly, after being steady or developing only slowly.”举个🌰：The company's profits have surged. 公司的利润激增。

2）表示“涌动，蜂拥向前”，英文解释为“to move quickly and powerfully”举个🌰：An angry crowd surged through the gates of the president's palace. 愤怒的人群涌进了总统府的大门。

3）作名词，表示“剧增”，英文解释为“A surge is a sudden large increase in something that has previously been steady, or has only increased or developed slowly.”举个🌰：An unexpected surge in electrical power caused the computer to crash. 突然出现的电压剧增导致电脑死机。

🎬电影《雷神2：黑暗世界》（Thor: The Dark World）中的台词提到：But she will not survive the amount of energy surging within her. 但她体内涌动的能量太大 她撑不住的。

affordable /əˈfɔː.də.bəl/ 1）表示“付得起的；买得起的”，英文解释为“not expensive”如：nice clothes at affordable prices 物美价廉的衣服。

2）表示“（房屋等）让收入较低者有能力购买或租用的”，英文解释为“(used about houses, etc.) able to be bought or rented by people who do not earn a lot of money”

inflation /ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən/ 表示“通货膨胀”，英文解释为“a general, continuous increase in prices”如：high/low inflation 高/低通货膨胀。

📍这个词来自拉丁语“inflatio”，意味着“膨胀”。在经济学中，表示货币供应增加导致的商品和服务价格普遍上升。联想宫殿：在宫殿的一个房间，你看到一个图表显示价格上升，旁边是政府提高利率的决策，以控制“通货膨胀”。近义词：price rise（价格上升），同根词：inflate（膨胀），常用短语：combat inflation（抗击通货膨胀）

supreme /suːˈpriːm/ 1）表示“（等级、水平或重要性）最高（的），至高无上（的）”，英文解释为“having the highest rank, level, or importance”如：the Supreme Court 最高法院。

2）表示“极大的；最好的”，英文解释为“very great, or the best”举个🌰：For me, dieting requires a supreme effort of will. 对于我来说，节食需要极大的毅力。

outpace /ˌaʊtˈpeɪs/ 表示“（速度上）超过，比…更快”，英文解释为“to move or develop faster than someone or something else”举个🌰：Bolt managed to outpace every other runner. 博尔特设法超过了其他所有的赛跑选手。

Since 2015, the dollar has had an inflation rate of 3.17% per year. By that logic, something that cost $1 in 2015 should cost $1.37 in 2025. For McDonald's, that has been far from the truth. The McChicken cost $1 in 2018, but in 2025 it's priced at $3.10. That's a whopping 210% increase in just seven years. This is symptomatic of other items on McDonald's menu. A McDouble cost $1.19 in 2014 while today it's sold for $4.59, a 285% increase in 11 years.

自2015年以来，美元年均通胀率约为3.17%。按这一逻辑，2015年售价1美元的商品，到2025年应为1.37美元。但麦当劳的情况远非如此。麦香鸡（McChicken）在2018年售价1美元，而到2025年已涨至3.10美元，七年内上涨了210%。麦当劳其它餐品也存在类似情况。麦双层牛肉堡（McDouble）在2014年售价1.19美元，如今卖到4.59美元，11年涨幅高达285%。

whopping /ˈwɒpɪŋ/ 表示“庞大的，巨大的”，英文解释为“If you describe an amount as whopping, you are emphasizing that it is large.”如：a whopping fee 一笔巨额费用，举个🌰：She won a whopping 99.5 percent yes vote. 她赢得了99.5%的高票支持。

symptomatic /ˌsɪmp.təˈmæt.ɪk/ 表示“表明…存在的，是…的征兆的”，英文解释为“If something bad is symptomatic of something else, it is caused by the other thing and is proof that it exists.”举个🌰：Jealousy within a relationship is usually symptomatic of low self-esteem in one of the partners. 恋爱关系中嫉妒情绪的产生通常表明其中一方不够自信。

2）表示“显示症状的”，英文解释为“showing symptoms of a particular disease”如：symptomatic influenza 带症状的流感。

📍asymptomatic /æˌsɪmptəˈmætɪk/ 表示“无症状的”，英文解释为“If someone with a disease is asymptomatic, it means that they do not show any symptoms of the disease.”

While McDonald's corporate office says the price increases aren't as bad as data suggests (and prices of items differ in different parts of the country), even the numbers highlighted by the company show significant increases. To combat criticism for higher prices, the company pointed out that a Big Mac Meal has increased by a mere 27% from 2019 to 2024 ($7.29 to $9.29), but this is still above the average rate of inflation. So, while 2025 has been a great year for new fast food items, it's been a rough year for those trying to eat on a budget.

尽管麦当劳总部表示，价格涨幅并没有数据所显示的那么严重（而且不同地区价格也不一样），但即便是官方数据也显示出明显上涨。为回应外界对涨价的批评，麦当劳指出，大麦克套餐在2019年至2024年间仅上涨了27%，从7.29美元涨至9.29美元，但这一涨幅仍高于平均通胀率。因此，尽管2025年对新品频出的快餐行业来说是好年景，但对精打细算的消费者而言，却并不友好。

With news that McDonald's is changing prices once again, you may think you can pivot to other fast food restaurants for your comfort food fix – not so. Other fast food eateries are following suit by hiking prices, too. Popeyes, Chipotle, Taco Bell, and Jimmy John's have all increased their prices at more than double the national average inflation rate in 2025. In most areas, people are paying more than $10 per person for one fast food meal. With the rise of dollar store dinner recipes and healthier eating choices, this is no longer an attractive price point.

当传出消息麦当劳将再次调整价格，你或许会认为可以选择其它快餐品牌。但事实是，其它快餐连锁店同样在涨价。2025年，大力水手（Popeyes）、Chipotle、塔可钟（Taco Bell）和吉米·约翰（Jimmy John's）的涨价幅度均超过全国平均通胀率的两倍。在大多数地区，吃一顿快餐的人均花费已超过10美元。随着“平价晚餐食谱”和更健康饮食选择的盛行，这样的价格已不再具备吸引力。

pivot /ˈpɪvət/ 可以作名词，也可作动词，表示“（使）在枢轴上旋转（或转动）；转动；扭曲”，英文解释为“to turn or balance on a central point (= a pivot ) ; to make sth do this”举个🌰：Windows that pivot from a central point are easy to clean. 沿中轴转动的窗子容易擦洗。

🎬电影《奎迪》（Creed）中的台词提到：I can't pivot fast enough. 我转得还不够快。

comfort food /ˈkʌm.fət ˌfuːd/ 表示“（难过或焦虑时食用的）安慰食品，开心食品”，英文解释为“the type of food that people eat when they are sad or worried, often sweet food or food that people ate as children”

熟词僻义，作名词，表示“（毒品或致瘾物的）一次用量”，英文解释为“an amount of an illegal drug, or of another substance that has an effect on someone”举个🌰： He was shaking badly and needed a fix. 他抖得很厉害，需要一剂毒品。 I need a fix of coffee before I can face the day. 我总需要喝足咖啡才有精神应付一天的工作。

fix在这里是一个俚语，并非“修理”，而是指 （一次）满足瘾头或强烈渴望的量。这个词常与对某种事物（如咖啡、零食、娱乐）的短暂、强烈的需求连用。如：get a caffeine fix（来点咖啡因过过瘾），get a shopping fix（购物瘾犯了去买点东西）。

表示“仿效”，英文解释为“to do the same thing as someone else”举个🌰：When one airline reduces its prices, the rest soon follow suit. 一家航空公司降价，其余的会很快纷纷仿效。

hike /haɪk/ 1）作名词，表示“突然上涨”，英文解释为“A hike is a sudden or large increase in prices, rates, taxes, or quantities.”如：a sudden 0.36 percent hike in interest rates 利率突涨0.36%。

2）作动词，表示“使大幅上升”，英文解释为“To hike prices, rates, taxes, or quantities means to increase them suddenly or by a large amount.”举个🌰：It has now been forced to hike its rates by 1.36 percent. 它现在被迫将其税率提高1.36%。

hike sth up 表示“快速提起，快速拉起；使大幅上升”，英文解释为“to lift or raise something with a quick movement”举个🌰：She hiked up her skirt and climbed onto the bicycle. 她一下提起裙子跨上了自行车。The insurers have started hiking up premiums by huge amounts. 保险公司已经开始大幅度地提高保险费。

People have certainly noticed the change, too. Fans of McDonald's and other fast food joints have taken to Reddit to voice their frustrations. After seeing 2025 Big Mac Meal prices ($10.49), one user said, "At that price, you might as well go to Red Robin and tip to have someone bring it to you." Another agreed, saying, "I don't get why anyone goes there anymore. Overpriced and terrible."

消费者显然也注意到了这一变化。麦当劳和其它快餐品牌的粉丝纷纷在Reddit上表达不满。有用户看到2025年大麦克套餐价格为10.49美元后表示：“这个价钱，还不如去红罗宾餐厅点餐，再给小费让服务员端上来。”另一位网友附和说：“我真不明白现在为什么还有人去那儿，又贵又难吃。”

Fast food restaurants still impress people with how they make and serve food so quickly, but the draw of affordability will only continue to fade. Franchise owners cite increases in labor costs and materials expenses, but corporate execs won't be eating those costs. Instead, it's passed on to the consumer. You can try to save money through deals on fast food apps, but it might be better to start working on simple home recipes instead.

快餐店依然以高效出餐和服务速度见长，但“便宜”这一吸引力正不断减弱。加盟商将涨价归因于人工和原材料成本上升，但这些成本并未由企业管理层承担，而是转嫁给了消费者。你可以通过快餐App里的优惠来节省一些钱，但或许更现实的选择是开始尝试简单的家常菜。

fade /feɪd/ 作动词，表示“（使）褪色；（使）变暗；（使）衰弱”，英文解释为“to (cause to) lose colour, brightness, or strength gradually”举个🌰：If you hang your clothes out in the bright sun, they will fade. 衣服挂在光线强的地方晾晒会褪色。

在理发行业，“fade”指渐变式发型，通常用于描述极短或几乎剃光的发型，其中头发的长度从顶部到底部（通常是耳朵以下，包括两鬓和颈后）逐渐变短，最后接近或完全剃光。Fade发型可以进一步分为多种类型，包括低fade，中fade和高fade，这取决于fade开始的位置。

fade /feɪd/ away 表示“逐渐消失；变得无足轻重；变弱”，英文解释为“to slowly disappear, lose importance, or become weaker”举个🌰：The voices became louder and closer and then faded away again. 人声越来越嘈杂，越来越近，接着又逐渐消失了。

franchise /ˈfræntʃaɪz/ 最常见的意思与“特许经营权”有关，既可以作可数名词，又可以做及物动词。作可数名词时具体表示“（公司授予某人的）特许经营权”，英文解释为“A franchise is an authority that is given by an organization to someone, allowing them to sell its goods or services or to take part in an activity which the organization controls.”比如“建造、运营隧道的特许权”就可以用“the franchise to build and operate the tunnel”表示。

📍可以理解为「一部电影的所有系列，系列电影」A film series is also called a film “franchise” which consists of a number of films based on the same characters. 或者“franchise”可以指一个商业品牌或者产品系列，它由相同主题或品牌下的多个作品组成，这些作品可以是电影、电视剧、漫画、视频游戏等。

📍作及物动词时具体表示“出售…的特许经营权”，英文解释为“If a company franchises its business, it sells franchises to other companies, allowing them to sell its goods or services.”举个🌰：She has recently franchised her business. 她最近已出售了其公司的特许经营权。

📍它还有另外一个意思，表示“选举权”，用作不可数名词，英文解释为“Franchise is the right to vote in an election.”

📍而在体育运动领域，指的是“球队，职业运动队”（a professional sports team），如在“湖人总冠军！”文中出现过：Second, Pelinka lived up to Bryant's prediction that Pelinka would help turn the franchise around within two to three years after the Lakers hired him in 2017. 第二，佩林卡不负布莱恩特的预言，在2017年湖人队聘请他之后，佩林卡将在两到三年内帮助球队扭转局面。

- 词汇盘点 -

- 词汇助记 By AI -

LearnAndRecord

2015年2月8日

2025年12月16日

第3965天

每天持续行动学外语