On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 03:47:21 GMT, Doe John wrote:

One can get burgers for a buck, and supersized, biggie sized burger
meals for 4-5 bucks. Why are salads at those places 5 dollars? When
did lettuce become so expensive?

You can also get a 99-cent "side salad' of lettuce, cabbage, carrot,
and a tomato wedge. For the 'specialty' salads, usually with some form
of grilled chicken, you're paying for the elevated cost of prep
(somewhere, if not in the actual outlet) and the calculated profit
scheme. Fast food is a caretully researched operation. They can
probably make a small profit on a 99-cent burger special, but the big
buck$ are in the accompanying drink & fries. 'As much as the traffic
will bear' is another principle. For me, a 99-cent special diner, a $4
salad is out of range. The 'Value Meal' customer used to paying $3-5
dollars for his drive through, may be tempted by a similarly priced
"healthy" selection. BTW, once you add (fried) croutons, dressing, and
cheese, the difference in calories is minimal.