How much has the price of a burger at Whataburger changed since opening in 1950?
This month, we celebrated National Cheeseburger and National Double Cheeseburger Days. And in August, we had National Whataburger Day.
But the cost of those cheeseburgers are still putting a dent in consumers’ wallets. With rising costs, how much more will that cheeseburger cost you today than it did in, say, 1950?
The Consumer Price Index rose 3.7% from August last year, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released last week. That’s up from 3.2% in July, but still down from the June 2022 high of 9.1%.
The food-away-from-home index rose 6.5% over the last year. The food-at-home index is up 3%.
1950 to today
Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger in 1950 in Corpus Christi.
A burger cost 25 cents, according to the Texas State Historical Association.
The next year, prices were raised.
“Folks, we priced our burgers too low and we lost our shirts,” Dobson printed on a sign. “Sorry, but we gotta raise the price to 30 cents.”
A few months later, customers paid 35 cents.
That 25 cents in 1950 has the same buying power as $3.16 in today’s money, according to an inflation calculator from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And 35 cents then would be $4.15 today.
Putting in an online order today for the basic Whataburger will cost you $5.29, plus tax.
The percent change from 25 cents to $5.29 is about 2016%. The dollar is worth 1085% more.
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