> fundamentally there's no obvious reason why getting food at a restaurant needs to cost more than getting food at home You're assuming the only thing that con

> fundamentally there's no obvious reason why getting food at a restaurant needs to cost more than getting food at home You're assuming the only thing that contributes to costs is the raw material. In reality, there's raw materials, labor, rent/mortgage on the space, taxes, and other costs including your initial investment and constant upkeep. Combine all of these and making a Sandwich at home is almost 100% cheaper (even if you shop at Whole Foods and only eat organic). And comparing it with other countries is not exactly Apples to Apples comparison. In India or Singapore, almost all businesses cheat on taxes, labor is overexploited (more than the US), there's limited licensing or health oversight, and ingredients can get downright questionable. Those help a lot with lowering costs, but not feasible in US. (Or rather only McDonalds can achieve to some degree)