Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

gizmodo.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 98 posts

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#81

Post by sebazzz »

bluedevil2k wrote: post #3

Fast food prices have already gotten exhorbitent and they think people would be willing to pay more? McDonald’s just released a statement that they’ve pushed prices up too far and as a result are seeing declining revenues. And another wild card…as more people start using Ozempic, fewer people will eat these health destructive meals.

I don’t know about other countries, but McD has become incredibly expensive in The Netherlands, a price that isn’t comparable to the value you get anymore. It used to be cheap, and then cheap food in return. You still get the cheap food basically, the only thing that has changed is that they’ve attempted to build a more diner-like experience. That isn’t enough to keep customers coming, if they can get better food for a similar price nearby.

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#82

Post by red-iron-pine »

catchnear4321 wrote: post #6
bluedevil2k wrote: post #3

Fast food prices have already gotten exhorbitent and they think people would be willing to pay more? McDonald’s just released a statement that they’ve pushed prices up too far and as a result are seeing declining revenues. And another wild card…as more people start using Ozempic, fewer people will eat these health destructive meals.

the threat isn’t so much “more” as “mystery.” you can plan for four fries instead of five if the cost goes from a buck to a buck and a quarter. but what if you don’t know how much it will cost? it doesn’t matter if you can afford a baconator right now. it matters if you can afford it in line, and you may not know until you get there. as if that’s not enough manipulation, maybe you can get a deal if you change your sc…

> the threat isn’t so much “more” as “mystery.” you can plan for four fries instead of five if the cost goes from a buck to a buck and a quarter. but what if you don’t know how much it will cost?

i'd imagine that 1) cost difference may be but a few cents / half a dollar, something on that level. extra $0.27 across the country at lunch translates to millions later, but may not be especially noticeable to the average consumer. even a dollar or two might still fly.

and 2) going by what I'm seeing each time I'm in a Wendy's or similar, there are a non-trivial number of Skip / Uber Eats / Dash orders moving out the door. Presumably this is to tap into that credit card paying demo, esp. since in most cases they're not going to argue about 27 cents and don't have to worry about being literally short-changed at checkout.

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#83

Post by red-iron-pine »

catchnear4321 wrote: post #75
gremlinsinc wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

who has the attention span for that? After 1-2 times I'd just give up and default to the competitor - and Wendy's is by far my favorite fast food restaurant.

what if competitors all adopt the model? less fear of doing so if w takes the l.

they offer made to order sandwiches at the grocery store now. hot food, too.

fast food is, well, fast, and deisgned to really hit that fat/salt/sugar creaving, but if I can't predict what it will cost me I'll head to places that will give me that promise. it's a big market and none of it is exclusive.

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#84

Post by EchoChamberMan »

WalterBright wrote: post #29
bluedevil2k wrote: post #3

Fast food prices have already gotten exhorbitent and they think people would be willing to pay more? McDonald’s just released a statement that they’ve pushed prices up too far and as a result are seeing declining revenues. And another wild card…as more people start using Ozempic, fewer people will eat these health destructive meals.

When I eat at McD's, I order a QP, a side salad, and water. Nothing unhealthy about that.

Real red meat is roughly 85% protein and 15% fat, while fish is about 99% protein. Chicken is somewhere around 95% i think. McD "meat" is really a slurry with probably even higher levels of fat. Nothing unhealthy?

I highly recommend "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy" from W. Willett of Harvard Medical. Mediterranean diets high in fish and vegetables are almost unquestionably healthier, and probably the healthiest diet around.

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#85

Post by throwitaway222 »

catchnear4321 wrote: post #75
gremlinsinc wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

who has the attention span for that? After 1-2 times I'd just give up and default to the competitor - and Wendy's is by far my favorite fast food restaurant.

what if competitors all adopt the model? less fear of doing so if w takes the l.

realpage for fast food is probably coming and the execs probably don't even understand the legal implications of that.

The fact that the realpage domain name even resolves right now suggests to me that collusion won.

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#86

Post by throwitaway222 »

cameldrv wrote: post #36

I predict this won't end well. People will pull up to the drive-thru, find that the prices are much higher than usual, and get mad, because they may not be able to back up out of the drive-thru or pull forward to exit. They'll either have to pay the high prices or wait to leave. Once someone gets burned by this a couple of times they'll just stop going to Wendy's.

Its kind of like when I predicted what would happen when $20/hour min wage wouldn't go well - everyone in CA is suffering now, including the ones making $20/hour (actually especially them).

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#87

Post by [deleted] »

EchoChamberMan wrote: post #84
WalterBright wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I eat at McD's, I order a QP, a side salad, and water. Nothing unhealthy about that.

Real red meat is roughly 85% protein and 15% fat, while fish is about 99% protein. Chicken is somewhere around 95% i think. McD "meat" is really a slurry with probably even higher levels of fat. Nothing unhealthy? I highly recommend "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy" from W. Willett of Harvard Medical. Mediterranean diets high in fish and vegetables are almost unquestionably healthier, and probably the healthiest diet arou…

[deleted]

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#88

Post by dragonwriter »

mlinhares wrote: post #56
basil-rash wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not exactly special, and it’s not exactly cheap, but it’s almost always fast and food, which oftentimes is all I’m looking for.

It is insanely cheap, getting that much calories in less than 10 USD would be a dream in any developed or poor nation. Might not be the best calories but will keep you (under) fed for a long time.

> It is insanely cheap, getting that much calories in less than 10 USD would be a dream in any developed or poor nation.

Maybe in cost relative to local median income ($10 is about 1/11 of a one day share of US median personal income), but definitely not 10 actual USD or the equivalent in straight currency conversion. Proof: people actually live and do physically-demanding jobs with in much of the developing world, with wages which your statement would make impossible because every single person doing it would be dead of starvation within a few months.

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#89

Post by dragonwriter »

mlinhares wrote: post #2

Do people really eat at these places because they find the food "special" or is it just the price?

They eat because the food hits a particular combination of cheap, being ready quickly on demand (hence "fast food") with minimal interaction, and acceptable quality. Its not optimized on any one of those axes.

Re: Wendy's Wants to Start Uber-Like Surge Pricing in 2025

#90

Post by dragonwriter »

jacknews wrote: post #73
mlinhares wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is specific to US stores.

Sure, I'm just saying in other markets these places are already at mid-tier prices, and the US market looks like it's heading that way too.

Other eating-out prices are also going up; its not just fast-food.
Post reply on HN