Remember back when you could hit up a fast-food chain for a tasty meal without it costing about the same as half a tank of gas? Some of Colorado's popular fast-food chains have seen their prices go through the roof in recent years. It's causing customers to stay away resulting in more and more locations shutting their doors.

Read More: Grand Junction Restaurants So Good They Are Worth the Wait

Mashed.com recently released a list of the most and least expensive restaurants in 2024, and we were surprised to see the three most expensive ones have a total of more than 200 locations in the Centennial State

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Wendy's Named Most Expensive Restaurant in 2022

America's priciest fast-food restaurant seems to have always been Wendy's. I love Dave's square hamburger patty, the fries vs baked potato options, and A Wendy's frosty is one of the best treats you can find on a hot summer day. That said, I tend not to go there nearly as often as I used to because of the prices.

Since the 1970s, prices at Wendy's have always been higher than at McDonald's or Burger King. In 1971, A McDonald's hamburger cost about .30 cents while a burger at Wendy's cost about .55 cents, nearly double.

Check Out the Prices at Five Guys

While Five Guys restaurants boast great burgers, fries, and milkshakes, Coloradans still notice the higher prices long before the claims that Five Guys never uses frozen ingredients. There are about 30 Five Guys locations in Colorado. A solo hamburger with no cheese costs about $10 (with no sides or a drink). A hot dog by itself costs about $7. Nope.

Read More: 13 of the Best Grand Junction Restaurants for Gluten-Free Options

No High Prices on Sunday

Colorado loves our chicken, and Chick-fil-A loves Colorado. Some of the menu prices at Chick-fil-A make a case that this is Colorado's most expensive restaurant with Cool Wrap combos going for $15 or more. The restaurants charges around $12 or more for the spicey chicken sandwich combo. Would the price be this high if they were open seven days a week? We will never know.

Enjoy a meal at a great local restaurant by checking out some of the best places to eat in Grand Junction in the gallery below.

MORE: All the Restaurants in Downtown Grand Junction + Their Food

It's time to eat. We're headed to downtown Grand Junction to check out some of the great places to eat. The downtown atmosphere and shopping surround several dining options that make downtown a fun place to be.

Gallery Credit: Wes Adams

LOOK: 25 Grand Junction Restaurants That Blow Tourists Away

We asked our audience for a restaurant they would recommend to someone visiting from out of town. Scroll through the list of the best restaurants GJ has to offer.

KEEP GOING: 11 Colorado Restaurants With Amazing Scenic Views

Relax and enjoy the view offered by these Colorado restaurants that feature great meals and amazing scenery!