Suze Orman Says Eating Out Is Now an Even Bigger Waste Of Money — ‘Are You Kidding Me…$30 Just to Go to McDonald’s’
Tue, September 15, 2026 at 2:00 AM GMT+3 7 min read
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A quick trip through the McDonald's drive-thru can feel pretty harmless — until the total flashes on the screen. For personal finance expert Suze Orman, a $30 fast-food bill isn't just expensive. It's money that could have stayed in the bank.
Orman was asked whether she still considers eating out one of the biggest wastes of money. Her answer? She hasn't changed her mind. If anything, she thinks the case has gotten stronger.
"I couldn't agree with that more if I tried. In fact, let me tell you how it's only gotten worse," Orman told The Wall Street Journal in August.
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She then pointed to the price of a basic fast-food run.
"Look up McDonald's. Look up Taco Bell. Are you kidding me? Twenty-three dollars. Thirty dollars just to go to McDonald's for whatever you eat there," she said.
Orman said she and her wife still eat most of their meals at home, including congee rice for lunch and meatloaf for dinner. Eating out happens occasionally, but she said it's generally tied to socializing rather than simply deciding not to cook.
And because Orman views restaurant spending as an unnecessary drain on money, she said she doesn't want friends with less money than she has to spend their own cash when they go out with her.
"If we go out to eat, the deal is we have to pay because I am not going to let people, who I know don't have the kind of money that we have, waste their money on food eating out," she said.
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Restaurant Prices Keep Climbing
Orman's reaction isn't happening in a vacuum. Eating out really has gotten more expensive.
Food-away-from-home prices were up 3.4% year over year in July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices at limited-service restaurants, a category that includes fast-food establishments, rose 3.3% over the same period.
A $23 or $30 bill can also represent more than one meal. Add a couple of drinks, sides or meals for a family, and a casual stop can turn into a surprisingly large expense.
That's why Orman's criticism isn't really about McDonald's. It's about the habit of spending money on convenience without thinking much about where the money could go instead.
For someone trying to build savings, pay down debt or invest for retirement, those seemingly small purchases can compete with longer-term goals. A $30 meal isn't going to derail a retirement plan by itself. Making that purchase repeatedly can tell a different story.
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Saving Without Giving Up Every Splurge
Still, not everyone wants to live like every restaurant receipt is a financial emergency. Dinner with friends, a movie or an occasional splurge can be part of enjoying the money being saved in the first place.
The goal doesn't have to be cutting out every expense that isn't essential. It's finding a balance that leaves room for fun without letting today's spending get in the way of tomorrow's goals.
That's where a financial advisor can help. A solid financial plan should account for more than how much is being saved. It can also help determine how much money can reasonably go toward dining out, travel and other wants while keeping long-term goals on track.
AdviserMatch connects people with financial advisors based on factors including their financial situation, location and the type of guidance they're looking for. For someone who wants to enjoy life now without wondering whether those choices are quietly hurting their future, getting a professional look at the numbers could make that balance easier to find.
Orman may look at a fast-food bill and see money better left unspent. Someone else may decide it's worth it. Either way, the important part is knowing whether the budget — and the bigger financial plan — can afford it.
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This article Suze Orman Says Eating Out Is Now an Even Bigger Waste Of Money — 'Are You Kidding Me…$30 Just to Go to McDonald's' originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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