Since grocery prices have gotten quite high lately and restaurant prices have surpassed groceries, folks on social media have been sharing their own struggles with just how little food you can get for your money these days. It’s clear that David Brooks was attempting to add to this ongoing dialogue when he shared his seemingly pricey airport burger. And, the internet ate it up –– so to speak. In just two days, the post gained over 34 million views and nearly 19,000 comments. It’s clear that this image struck a bit of a chord with those of us who long for the days when our food required a smaller chunk of our paycheck.
Amidst the busy comment section, though, there were more than just complaints about food prices. Many folks speculated about whether or not this meal really cost the amount that was stated and whether some vital context may have been missing from the post. Sure enough, a subheading under the tweet was added that stated, “readers added context they thought people might want to know.” The context? “The restaurant has noted that 80% of this tab was Brooks’ bar bill.” So, it seems that perhaps you can get a burger for a more reasonable price at the airport if you don’t intend to throw back a few drinks at the same time. This, by no means, indicates that airport food is reasonably priced, but hey –– at least it’s cheaper than airport alcohol.