Staff Reports
It appears the French fry business is feeling the heat as American consumers look to tighten their belts amid soaring prices—thanks largely to the Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies. Lamb Weston, a titan in the world of crispy potatoes and the main supplier of fries for fast food giants, is laying off a significant portion of its workforce and shutting down a production facility in the great state of Washington. This comes after a staggering 25 percent drop in their share price this year—proving that while Americans may be running from their favorite fast food joints, the executives at Lamb Weston are left scrambling to figure out how to save face.
As if the layoffs weren’t enough to round out this sad sack tale, Lamb Weston’s CEO, Thomas Werner, pointed out that deals enticing customers with low prices might actually be working against them. People are downgrading their orders, opting for smaller servings—imagine that! In a land where medium fries were once an unassailable staple, now consumers are pinching pennies by settling for the smalls. All the while, the overall fast food traffic dropped by 2 percent last quarter, proving that consumers are finding it hard to stomach the dramatic price hikes that have ruined their once-cheaper indulgences.
The statistics are devastating for lovers of fast food, with prices inflating higher than a balloon at a kid’s birthday party. Since 2014, McDonald’s has doubled its prices—yes, doubled! Meanwhile, the inflation rate barely tips its hat at a mere 31 percent. At this rate, careful consumers may need to choose between their beloved Big Macs and keeping the lights on at home. Recent figures show that Lamb Weston experienced a net income drop of 34 percent compared to last year, leaving many wondering who’s actually benefiting from these insatiable price tags.
Republicans have not held back in highlighting the disastrous impact of the current administration’s misguided economic policies, with some reports claiming that the price of a medium fry has ballooned by a jaw-dropping 167.6 percent during the Biden-Harris reign. Amidst all this turmoil, it’s no wonder more Americans are opting to skip the fast food drive-thru in favor of more budget-conscious dining options. While home-cooked meals may not induce the same nostalgia as a greasy cheeseburger, they’re a whole lot easier on the wallet.
Just like that, the narrative shapes itself: high inflation endorsed by the Democrat-led administration sends consumers scurrying away from fast food, which in turn sends Lamb Weston into a tailspin of layoffs and plummeting profits. It all feeds back into a vicious cycle that leaves American families scratching their heads, debating whether to open another bag of fries or just slink away to the pantry. Perhaps it’s time for some political accountability and a touch of economic sanity before the fries get any more overpriced.
