A Big Mac went from R7.00 to R70.90 in South Africa

A Big Mac has risen from R7 in 1995 to R70.90 today, with burger prices surging 30% in the past year alone due to soaring beef costs.

When McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in South Africa in November 1995 in Blackheath, Johannesburg, a Big Mac cost just R7.00. Today, South Africans can expect to pay R70.90 for the same burger.

This shows just how sharply food prices have increased over the past three decades. However, the most striking increase has occurred over the past year alone.

Speaking to Kaya Biz, Eighty20 director Andrew Fulton said burger prices have significantly outpaced headline inflation, driven largely by soaring beef prices.

“Every month for the past year, at least half of the top ten highest inflation items have been meat products, primarily beef, with chicken really far behind,” Fulton said.

Using consumer data from MAPS, a quarterly survey of 20,000 South Africans released by the Marketing Research Foundation, Eighty20 analysed the country’s fast-food market and burger price trends.

The firm’s research found that a Big Mac, which cost around R55 a year ago, now costs almost R71. “That’s 30% in just a year when you’ve got inflation running at around 4%. You can see that burger inflation is a big thing.”

Every component in a burger has become more expensive. According to Fulton, buns are up 5.5% year-on-year, lettuce 10%, tomatoes 11%, and cheddar cheese 10%.

However, the biggest surge has come from the beef patty itself, which has increased 23.8% year-on-year.

Fulton attributed this surge largely to South Africa’s ongoing foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. “We’ve had the worst outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease we’ve had in decades.”

“Cattle and dairy herds across nine provinces are affected, and there’s been a 25% drop in meat exports in South Africa. It really has quite decimated that industry.”

South Africans are changing their eating habits

The rising cost of burgers appears to be changing consumer behaviour. Eighty20’s analysis found that fewer South Africans are eating at quick-service restaurants (QSRs) as often as they used to.

People who reported not eating at a quick-service restaurant during the previous four weeks increased from around three million in 2024 to approximately 5.5 million in 2025.

“What it speaks to is the frequency,” Fulton said. “People are still going out to eat, but they’re not going out as often.”

As beef prices continue to soar, consumers are also increasingly shifting towards more affordable protein options.

“What we saw is chicken-focused brands like Hungry Lion, Pedro’s and Nando’s, alongside the pizza chains, have gained ground. But for the burger places – McDonald’s, Wimpy and Steers – they’ve lost ground over the past year.”

Data from MAPS showed that chicken remained South Africa’s dominant fast-food category by a considerable margin.

Twice as many consumers said they most often eat at chicken-focused restaurants compared to the next most popular category.

Interestingly, pizza ranked second, coming in ahead of both burger chains and multi-category restaurant groups.

According to Fulton, this is largely due to the strength of pizza brands such as Debonairs, which consistently ranks among South Africa’s most popular fast-food options.

“While chicken’s dominance reflects both affordability and cultural preferences in the South African market, pizza’s solid second-place position reflects its widespread availability and competitive pricing across multiple price points.”

“In addition, its versatility – delivery, sharing, variety – makes it particularly appealing to family-oriented segments.”

The data also revealed significant differences between demographic groups. Students and scholars were the most likely to choose burgers.

South Africa’s lowest-income segments were less likely to eat out overall and overwhelmingly favoured chicken when they did.

Meanwhile, wealthier consumers showed a stronger preference for multi-category restaurants such as Spur and other sit-down dining options.

Regional differences also emerged, with the Western Cape showing a stronger preference for burgers, while Gauteng and the Free State over-indexed for fish restaurants.

More pressure ahead

Unfortunately for burger lovers, prices may continue climbing. Fulton warned that broader inflationary pressures are likely to filter through the economy in the coming months.

“We saw the biggest petrol and diesel increases in memory, and that’s going to start flowing through to fertiliser, food inflation and other areas.”

While food inflation had begun moderating earlier in 2026, Fulton explained that the trend is likely to be short-lived.

“Last month, food inflation was down for the second month in a row, but that’s likely to reverse now that inflation is coming through other sectors of the economy.”

As a result, consumers may increasingly seek value meals, smaller portions, and home-cooked alternatives.

Fulton noted that major restaurant operators such as Famous Brands are already responding by investing in smaller-format stores and drive-through locations that focus on value and convenience.

“We’re going to see people trading down to smaller meals, more value meals, and eating more at home.”

Unfortunately, even avoiding out will not shield South Africans entirely from skyrocketing food prices, as even cooking at home is becoming more expensive.

With electricity up 10.4%, soaring petrol prices and food inflation, Fulton noted that the price pain is unavoidable. “We South Africans are just getting kicked from all sides right now.”