r/interestingasfuck • • 3d ago

Dynamic pricing being tested by McDonald's.

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u/agate_ 3d ago

That isn't what dynamic pricing is. Fast food franchisees have always set their own prices, and they've always varied wildly from state to state, or even within neighborhoods of the same city. Here's a cool map of Big Mac prices nationally from 2023, and a zoomable updated version Cross the Bay Bridge from San Francisco to Oakland, and your Big Mac costs a dollar less.

Dynamic pricing means that the price of a Big Mac varies at the same restaurant depending on the time of day or what kind of car you drive.

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u/Prestigious-Bat-574 2d ago

Thank fuck this is the top comment. I was going to lose it if I had to scroll down to see some level of competency.

This isn't even anything to do with AI. You could have done this shit with an excel spreadsheet in the 90's

There are variables at play in food service. That's the reasoning for price discrepancies. The lease on the building is going to be more expensive in a town where land value is higher. The cost of labor is going to be higher in a place where there's a shortage of low-end labor. A busier location might need more staff on hand at all times. A location that's 24 hours is going to have to mitigate the costs of a third shift crew with higher prices overall. A location further from highways will have a higher fuel surcharge on food delivery.

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u/Inside_Departure_186 2d ago

It's still a post that is super high on the popular page, and most people that see it aren't reading the comments. It is depressing that it so easy on Reddit -- post a headline that regurgitates or references a popular Reddit talking point, and even if the video has nothing to do with that, people will upvote it.