It’s always been this way. The point is convenience. If you want quality food then go to a restaurant that makes good food, not food that comes from a microwave.
So has literally everything. It’s inflation + price gouging.
Fast food isn’t special here. It’s shit quality food. The price went up just like everything. The food quality has always been shit and always will be.
The funny thing is that we've hosted like eight exchange students and they all agree that the quality of our fast food is noticeably worse than from the same chain back home, and for way more money after accounting for exchange rates.