Fast Food: Price crisis at Döner and Burger – Beef Knight

A scarcer range of beef is beating in Germany’s fast food industry: Both kebab and burgers have become much more expensive in the past three years. The prices for calf and beef shoot up because the demand for slaughter animals is higher than the offer. According to data from the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture, the producer prices have increased by around 15 to 20 percent this year alone for cow and young bull meat.

“It is a very crazy situation,” says Albert Hortmann-Scholten, market expert of the chamber. Many operating tasks in cattle husbandry and blue -tongue disease have therefore greatly reduced the offer.

The cause of the price increases in gastronomy is not only beef, since energy and other raw materials have also become more expensive. But meat makes a not inconsiderable part of the costs.

Calf painted from the menu

In Munich, a number of hosts have already painted the veal kebab from the menu. “Too expensive,” says a kebab owner who does not want to read his name in the newspaper. “I would have to ask for the ten euros, nobody pays that.” So there are only chicken and turkey.

The burger industry also suffers

Also noteworthy is the development of the price recommendations of the standard hamburg at McDonald’s: at the beginning of 2022 1.29 euros, 1.99 euros a year ago, today 2.29 euros. This is an increase of almost 80 percent within three years. Asked about the reasons, the company does not want to give a specific answer. In larger burgers such as the Big Mac, the inflation has been considerably lower since 2022, but still above average compared to general inflation.

Doner soon over ten euros?

The kebab manufacturers are alerted: “Experts forecast that the final price for kebab-as a representative product of meat processing-will reach the 10-euro border in the near future and will exceed the Sogan KOC, spokesman for the Doner producer in the Baden-Württemberg Remchingen in the medium term.