A recent tweet from user "tic toc" has ignited discussion online, drawing a stark comparison between the contemporary cost of a Chipotle steak bowl and historical mortgage payments. The tweet, which states, > "What YOU paid for your Chipotle steak bowl for lunch today, your grandpa paid for his mortgage a month. Let this sink in! Complete destruction of dollar by the globalists," highlights growing public concern over the dollar's purchasing power and the escalating cost of living.
Chipotle Mexican Grill has seen several price adjustments in recent years, reflecting broader inflationary trends in the food service industry. The company recently implemented a modest 2% national price increase, its first in over a year, citing rising input costs for ingredients like beef, dairy, and avocados, alongside increased labor expenses. This follows previous increases, with some reports indicating Chipotle's prices have risen by approximately 36% since 2018, outpacing the general food-away-from-home inflation rate.
The sentiment expressed in the tweet resonates with many Americans experiencing the impact of inflation across various sectors. While direct comparisons between a single meal and a full mortgage payment from decades past are anecdotal, they underscore a significant shift in economic realities. Historically, housing costs represented a different proportion of household income, and the overall purchasing power of the dollar has indeed diminished over time due to cumulative inflation.
The U.S. annual inflation rate was reported at 2.7% for the 12 months ending June 2025, with food prices increasing by 3% and housing costs also contributing significantly to the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI). Food-at-home prices are projected to increase by 2.2% in 2025, while food-away-from-home prices are expected to rise by 4.1%. These figures illustrate the persistent upward pressure on consumer expenses.
Economists attribute the erosion of the dollar's purchasing power to various factors, including supply chain disruptions, increased consumer demand, and rising labor costs. While the tweet attributes this to "globalists," mainstream economic analysis points to a complex interplay of market forces and monetary policy. The long-term trend of inflation means that a dollar today buys less than it did decades ago, a phenomenon that impacts everything from daily meals to major expenditures like housing.