The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday, April 1, edition that runaway prices at U.S. fast-food joints and restaurants have made people skittish down the income ladder and executives at chains including McDonald's and Wendy's recently said they worry about losing business from those on the tightest budgets. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe reports that about a quarter of low-income consumers, defined as those making less than $50,000 a year, said they were eating less fast food and about half said they were making fewer trips to fast-casual and full-service dining establishments, according to polling in February by Revenue Management Solutions. The rising price of food is contributing to budget-conscious diners cutting back. Whether consumed at home or in a restaurant, food prices rose 20 per cent from January, 2021, to January, 2024, the fastest jump on record. A recent census Household Pulse Survey showed half of people earning less than $35,000 a year had difficulty paying everyday expenses, and nearly 80 per cent were moderately or "very" stressed by recent price increases. McDonald's executives told investors in February that it would rely on its existing "value menu" to appeal to low-income consumers.