The single most overpriced item on Hardee's menu

When ordering fast food, we all want to make sure we're getting the best value for our money. With all the upgrades and combos it can be difficult to calculate that on the spot, and what seemed like a great deal at the moment can actually be not that amazing in hindsight. With this in mind, we combed through the Hardee's menu and compared the prices listed on Fast Food Menu Prices against the average cost of the ingredients to find out which is the most overpriced item on the menu.

We used a report by the United States Department of Agriculture to determine the average cost of produce in 2019. They list the price of red onions as $0.91 per pound, tomatoes $1.38 per pound, and lettuce $2.51 per pound. According to Beef 2 Live, a website devoted to news affecting the beef industry, the average cost in 2019 for a pound of ground beef was $3.81. Market and consumer data website Statista claim the average price for a pound of American cheese in 2019 was $3.91. On Amazon, a jar of Hellman's mayonnaise costs $3.77, a bottle of Heinz ketchup is $2.73, a bottle of Heinz yellow mustard will run you $1.88, a pack of six brioche buns from Whole Foods Market is $4.99, and a jar of Vlasic dill pickle sandwich chips costs $4.13.

The most over priced item on Hardee's menu is the 1/3 lb. Original Thickburger

Using the prices listed above and the nutritional facts from the Hardee's website as guides, the 1/3 lb. Original Thickburger is the most overpriced item on Hardee's menu. Hardee's charges the most per pound of beef for this burger compared to all the other burgers they offer, and it requires no advanced cooking knowledge or special equipment, like a deep fryer. 

According to our calculations, the 1/3 lb. Original Thickburger can be made at home for $2.97, while Hardee's charges $4.59 for it, which is $1.62 more. Now, we know you don't get fast food because it's something you can't feasibly make at home, but since this burger is so easy, cheap, and fast to make, and the ingredients are accessible at virtually every grocery store, it is definitely the most overpriced choice on the Hardee's menu.