Detroit residents are the nation's top spenders on fast food, even though the Michigan city has the nation's lowest median household income among U.S. cities, according to a finance company's ranking.
Detroit was No. 1
in the ranking of the 100 largest U.S. cities for the most fast-food spending as a share of the city's median monthly household income at 0.73%, according to the Sept. 22 WalletHub report.While fast-food dining options are comparatively affordable, WalletHub says Detroit's standing as the city with the nation's lowest median household income — $39,938 per year — makes fast food a costly investment for Detroiters, the report said.
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"Fast food has grown more and more expensive in recent years, outpacing inflation.
As a result, it’s worthwhile for consumers to think critically about whether the convenience of fast food really justifies the cost — and about how much room they have in their budgets for this luxury. The city in which you live can have a big impact on how much fast food costs, too. People in the most expensive cities shell out over three times more than residents of the least expensive cities, relative to the median income," WalletHub writer and analyst Chip Lupo wrote.
Detroit was followed by Cleveland and Buffalo, New York for the most fast food spending in the nation's 100 largest cities.
No other Michigan cities were listed in the rankings.
Here's what to know about the WalletHub ranking.
How did Detroit rank for fast-food spending?
Detroit ranked No. 1 nationwide as the top major U.S. city for fast food spending with the cost of fast food as a share of median monthly income at 0.73%, according to the WalletHub report.
"Detroit has the most costly fast food relative to residents’ earnings, with a small pizza, a burger and a fried chicken sandwich totaling 0.73% of the median monthly household income. That may not be all that much on its own, but since it only represents three meals out of an entire month, it can really add up depending on people’s eating habits," the report said.
WalletHub says Detroit has the lowest median household income among major cities, despite its cheap fast food options.
"Detroit is the 15th-most expensive city for chicken sandwiches, but only the 41st-most expensive for burgers and the 36th-most expensive for pizza. However, the city has the lowest median household income in the country, at $39,938 per year. As a result, even without overly high fast food prices, each purchase still eats into residents’ incomes a lot," the report said.
How can Detroiters save on fast food?
WalletHub recommends saving money when ordering fast food by budgeting, using coupons and joining chains' rewards programs. It's also best to reduce the amount of times you're eating out at fast food restaurants, minimize your order size and opt for picking up the food at the restaurant rather than ordering delivery, WalletHub says.
"Prices at limited-service restaurants increased by an average of 3.2% between August 2025 and August 2026, outpacing overall inflation. As a result, cutting back on fast food can benefit both your health and your budget," according to the report.
What fast food restaurants are in Detroit?
Here are popular fast food restaurant chains that have locations in Detroit:
- Burger King
- Chick-fil-A
- Domino's Pizza
- Kentucky Fried Chicken
- Little Caesars
- McDonald's
- Papa John's
- Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
- Subway
- Taco Bell
- Wendy's
- White Castle
- Wingstop
What major grocers are in Detroit?
Detroit has three Meijer grocery stores and a Whole Foods Market store. Other major grocers like Kroger, Walmart, Trader Joe's, Costco and Sam's Club don't have locations in Detroit.
Detroit also features a variety of locally-owned grocery stores throughout the city.
What were the top 10 cities for fast food spending?
Here are the top 10 U.S. cities for fast food spending and their cost of fast food as a share of their median monthly household income, according to WalletHub:
- Detroit - 0.73%
- Cleveland - 0.70%
- Buffalo, New York - 0.60%
- Hialeah, Florida - 0.58%
- Toledo, Ohio - 0.57%
- Birmingham, Alabama - 0.57%
- Newark, New Jersey - 0.54%
- Milwaukee - 0.54%
- Baltimore - 0.54%
- Memphis - 0.53%
"The primary reason why Cleveland ranks second is that it has the second-lowest median household income in the country, at $40,801 per year," WalletHub said.
WalletHub said Buffalo fast-food prices are among the highest, but its better median income improves its ranking.
"Buffalo ranks third in our study in large part because it has the sixth-lowest median household income in the nation, at $50,041 per year," the study said.
How did WalletHub compile the ranking?
WalletHub analyzed the price of hamburgers, pizza and chicken sandwiches in some of the largest 100 cities in the U.S., summed up the individual costs and adjusted the outcome to each city's median monthly income, the company said.
The ranking used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Council for Community and Economic Research, as of Aug. 25, 2026, WalletHub said.
What is WalletHub?
WalletHub is a personal finance company based in Miami, its website notes.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroiters are spending a lot on fast food. How it compares nationally
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