A Comparable Burger Meal Increased 1.5% Year Over Year
Burger meal pricing continues to be an important indicator of how QSR pricing is evolving across U.S. markets.
But comparing meal prices can be difficult when different products, sizes, and menu categories are included in the analysis.
To create a more consistent comparison, we used an apples-to-apples approach.
We selected one comparable burger meal from each leading U.S. burger QSR brand and standardized the analysis around the Medium-size meal. We then compared average pricing across 10 selected states for August 2025 versus August 2026.
Across these markets, the average comparable burger meal increased from:
$11.41 in August 2025 → $11.58 in August 2026
That represents a $0.17 increase, or a 1.5% year-over-year increase.
While the overall movement appears relatively modest, the state-level data tells a more varied story.
State-Level Burger Meal Price Comparison
The analysis covers 10 selected U.S. states and tracks the average price of the comparable Medium-size burger meal.
| State | August 2025 | August 2026 | Change | YoY |
| Arizona | $12.32 | $12.07 | -$0.25 | -2.0% |
| California | $13.15 | $13.29 | +$0.15 | +1.1% |
| Florida | $11.30 | $11.48 | +$0.18 | +1.6% |
| Georgia | $10.71 | $10.87 | +$0.17 | +1.6% |
| Illinois | $10.98 | $11.17 | +$0.20 | +1.8% |
| New York | $11.93 | $12.31 | +$0.38 | +3.2% |
| Ohio | $11.02 | $10.95 | -$0.07 | -0.6% |
| Pennsylvania | $11.41 | $11.45 | +$0.04 | +0.3% |
| Texas | $10.25 | $10.51 | +$0.26 | +2.5% |
| Wisconsin | $11.08 | $11.69 | +$0.61 | +5.5% |
Note: Figures represent average prices for one comparable Medium-size burger meal across the selected states.
Which States Saw the Biggest Price Increases?
The state-level data shows that the national movement of +1.5% doesn’t tell the entire story.
Some markets experienced substantially larger increases, while others saw prices decline.
Wisconsin: +5.5%
Wisconsin recorded the largest increase among the 10 states analyzed.
The average comparable burger meal increased from $11.08 in August 2025 to $11.69 in August 2026.
That’s an increase of $0.61 per meal, representing a 5.5% year-over-year increase.
Wisconsin therefore stands out as the strongest upward mover in this comparison.
New York: +3.2%
New York recorded the second-largest increase.
Average pricing moved from $11.93 to $12.31, representing a $0.38 increase and a 3.2% year-over-year increase.
New York also remained one of the higher-priced markets in the comparison.
Texas: +2.5%
Texas saw the average comparable meal price increase from $10.25 to $10.51.
That represents a $0.26 increase, or 2.5% year over year.
Illinois: +1.8%
Illinois increased from $10.98 to $11.17, representing a 1.8% increase.
The change was approximately $0.20 per meal.
Not Every Market Increased
One of the more interesting findings is that two of the selected states actually recorded lower average meal prices in August 2026.
Arizona: -2.0%
Arizona’s average price decreased from $12.32 to $12.07, representing a 2.0% decline.
That’s a decrease of approximately $0.25 per meal.
Ohio: -0.6%
Ohio also recorded a decline, moving from $11.02 to $10.95.
The decrease was approximately $0.07, representing a 0.6% decline.
These movements are important because they show that the overall increase in average pricing was not uniform across every market.
Where Are Burger Meals Most Expensive?
Looking specifically at August 2026 pricing, several states stand out for their higher average meal prices.
The highest average burger meal price in August 2026 was recorded in California at $13.29, followed by New York at $12.31 and Arizona at $12.07.
Among the other markets analyzed, Wisconsin reached $11.69, while Florida and Pennsylvania stood at $11.48 and $11.45, respectively.
At the lower end, Texas recorded the lowest average price at $10.51, followed by Georgia at $10.87 and Ohio at $10.95. Illinois averaged $11.17.
However, current price levels don’t tell the entire story.
Wisconsin recorded the largest YoY increase at 5.5%, while Arizona (-2.0%) and Ohio (-0.6%) were the only markets where average meal prices declined.
This demonstrates that current price level and rate of price movement are two different metrics.
This demonstrates that the current price level and the rate of price movement are two different metrics.
The Difference Between Price Level and Price Movement
A state with a high average meal price isn’t necessarily experiencing the fastest increase.
California, for example, had the highest August 2026 average at $13.29, but its year-over-year increase was only 1.1%.
Wisconsin, meanwhile, had a lower 2026 average of $11.69, but recorded the largest increase at 5.5%.
This distinction matters when evaluating QSR pricing.
Price level tells you where the market is today.
Price movement tells you how quickly the market is changing.
Both provide valuable information for competitive pricing analysis.
Why an Apples-to-Apples Comparison Matters
QSR menus contain a wide range of products and meal configurations.
Comparing an average across every meal category can introduce differences caused by:
- Product mix
- Meal size
- Premium versus core products
- Limited-time offerings
- Value meals
- Different meal configurations
An apples-to-apples approach reduces these variables.
By selecting one comparable burger meal from each brand and using the Medium-size meal, the analysis focuses on how the price of a comparable customer purchase changes over time.
This makes the year-over-year comparison more consistent.
Instead of asking:
“How did the average price of everything on the menu change?”
we are asking:
“How did the price of a comparable burger meal change across markets?”
That is a much more focused pricing question.
Why State-Level Pricing Matters
The overall average increased only 1.5%, but the individual state results ranged from a 2.0% decline in Arizona to a 5.5% increase in Wisconsin.
That range highlights why national averages can sometimes hide important market-level differences.
For QSR pricing teams, state-level monitoring can help identify:
- Markets experiencing faster price increases
- Markets where pricing is relatively stable
- Markets where prices are declining
- Differences in competitive positioning
- Changes in meal-level customer value
- Emerging local pricing trends
A national benchmark provides the starting point.
State-level pricing shows where the movement is actually happening.
What the Data Means for QSR Operators
For operators and pricing teams, the important question isn’t simply whether burger meal prices increased.
It’s where prices changed, by how much, and whether the movement is consistent across markets.
The data shows three different patterns:
Higher growth markets:
Wisconsin, New York and Texas recorded increases above the overall 1.5% average.
Moderate growth markets:
California, Florida, Georgia and Illinois recorded smaller increases.
Declining markets:
Arizona and Ohio recorded lower average prices in August 2026.
Pennsylvania was almost flat, with only a 0.3% increase.
This type of variation can be important when evaluating localized pricing strategies and competitive positioning.
Tracking the Meal, Not Just the Burger
Customers don’t experience a burger price in isolation.
They experience the complete meal.
That’s why meal-level pricing can provide a more useful view of customer-facing pricing than looking at the burger alone.
A small change in the price of the complete meal can affect how customers perceive affordability and value.
And when the same comparable meal is tracked consistently over time, businesses can identify whether pricing changes are:
Temporary → Market-specific → Broad-based → Sustained
The goal is not simply to know what a meal costs today.
It’s to understand how that price is changing across markets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the average comparable burger meal price in August 2025?
The average price across the 10 selected states was $11.41.
What was the average price in August 2026?
The average increased to $11.58.
How much did the comparable burger meal increase?
The average increased by $0.17, representing a 1.5% year-over-year increase.
Which state recorded the largest increase?
Wisconsin, with a 5.5% increase, moving from $11.08 to $11.69.
Which state recorded the largest decline?
Arizona, where the average price decreased 2.0%, from $12.32 to $12.07.
Which state had the highest average price in August 2026?
California, at $13.29.
Which state had the lowest average price in August 2026?
Texas, at $10.51.
Why use one comparable product per brand?
Using one comparable product helps create a more consistent apples-to-apples comparison by reducing differences caused by product mix, meal configuration and size.
Why use Medium-size meals?
Medium provides a consistent benchmark across the comparable meals while avoiding the additional variation created by Small and Large meal sizes.
Final Takeaway
The average price of a comparable Medium-size burger meal increased from $11.41 in August 2025 to $11.58 in August 2026, representing a 1.5% year-over-year increase across the 10 selected states.
But the state-level picture is more nuanced.
Wisconsin increased 5.5%, while Arizona declined 2.0%.
California had the highest average price at $13.29, while Texas had the lowest at $10.51.
The takeaway:
The national average shows the direction. State-level data shows the difference.
And by using an apples-to-apples comparison of one comparable burger meal per brand, QSR pricing teams can get a clearer view of how the customer-facing price of a comparable meal is changing across U.S. markets.
