If you’re feeling the sting of high prices at restaurants, there’s at least one place where a burger, fries, and soda won’t break the bank.
A new report from DoorDash found that the cheapest burger combo in the US is in Austin, Texas, where a burger and fries meal costs an average of $12.94. The findings come from the company’s annual Cheeseburger Index, which tracks menu prices in cities across the country.
Several other cities also made the list of burger bargains, including Laredo, Texas; Lincoln, Nebraska and Detroit. At the other end of the scale, Anchorage, Alaska, ranked as the most expensive place to pick up a cheeseburger combo, where the average price of the meal is $28.
Where can you find the cheapest burger combo?
According to DoorDash, these are the 10 best-value cities for burgers and fries:
- Austin ($12.94)
- Laredo, Texas ($13.39)
- Lincoln, Nebraska ($13.86)
- Detroit ($14.99)
- Philadelphia ($15.41)
- Irving, Texas ($15.53)
- milwaukee ($15.53)
- San Antonio ($15.55)
- Chesapeake, Virginia ($15.60)
- St. Paul, Minnesota ($15.65)
How much have prices increased since last year?
Even the cheapest burger has become expensive these days.
The price of the country’s most affordable combo meal has increased by nearly $2 compared to last year. In DoorDash’s 2025 report, Lincoln, Nebraska, took the top spot with an average burger-and-fries price of $10.70.
Nationwide, burger combo prices increased 3.2% year over year, according to DoorDash’s Cheeseburger Index.
DoorDash spokesperson Eli Scheinholtz told USA TODAY that menu prices can vary significantly from city to city due to differences in operating costs.
DoorDash didn’t directly explain why certain cities ranked top or bottom in the rankings, but the increases reflect a broader increase in prices consumers have seen in recent years. As of previous USA TODAY reporting, the consumer price index was up 4.2% year over year.
Which cities saw the lowest restaurant inflation?
While food prices continue to rise, some cities have seen less of an increase than others.
DoorDash finds lowest level of restaurant inflation:
- Henderson, Nevada (1.8%)
- Washington, DC (2.0%)
- Cincinnati (2.4%)
- Gilbert, Arizona (2.4%)
- Mesa, Arizona (2.5%)
- Chandler, Arizona (2.5%)
- Las Vegas (2.5%)
- Memphis (2.5%)
- Jacksonville, Florida (2.5%)
- Richmond, Virginia (2.5%)
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach him at (email protected).