Congrats on normalizing to 2017 dollars, however the graph starts at a misleading 260 billion, not zero. I was always told it’s considered bad form not to include the little squiggly break lines to show that on bar graphs.

So if the amount spent went from roughly 340 billion to 380 billion, ~10% increase, but the cost/quantity*quality of that food (which is difficult to calculate because of shrinkflation, shittier quality generally, and different items being on the menu) has easily gone up 25% at an absolutely uncontroversial low end, that proves the opposite, that people are eating fast food less than pre-covid.

After the revolution I want his nobel prize taken and awarded to me.