“Eating at home has become more affordable,” Kempczinski said. “The battleground is certainly low-income consumers.”
Over the summer, a franchisee near Darien, Conn., was cited for charging $17.59 for a Big Mac combo meal.
California’s $20-an-hour minimum wage for fast food workers goes into effect in April.
McDonald’s and Chipotle both announced they will increase menu prices at their Golden State locations starting this year.
