Why 'Cheeseburger Day' Is a National Disgrace
A cruel joke at all of our expense.
Last Wednesday, I woke up to these news:
“McDonald’s is selling 50-cent double cheeseburgers for National Cheeseburger Day, Wendy’s is giving them out for a penny”
It felt like a déjà vu. National Cheeseburger Day came just three days after the National Double Cheeseburger Day.
You may not immediately notice it, but something is terribly wrong here — and we urgently need to talk about it. 👇
To many, a cheeseburger sold for pocket change is an example of capitalism at its finest — a momentary triumph where we, the consumers, “win” by spending less and getting more. But behind these cheap burgers lies a darker reality.
No, I’m not referring to the fact that there is “poop in basically all hamburger meat”. Nor am I talking about the rock-bottom prices being a tactic to lure consumers into downloading apps, only to bombard them with fast food ads later.
Today, I want to address other serious issues surrounding National Cheeseburger Day that extend far beyond this one day and deserve our urgent attention.
What the heck could be wrong with cheap burgers?
When we talk about cheap burgers, we must first acknowledge that they’re built on a system designed to externalize costs:
1 — Environmental cost
It’s no secret that the meat industry is an unmitigated environmental disaster, heavily contributing to rainforest destruction, greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation, and water pollution. But the industry doesn’t bear most of these costs. In the US alone, the meat industry dodges $80-200 billion in annual costs related to pollution and waste management.
2 — Public health damages
The livestock industry also fails to account for the massive public health damages resulting from the consumption of its products, ranging from antibiotic resistance over increased pandemic risk to higher rates of deadly common diseases.
Based on an analysis of over 800 studies, the World Health Organization has classified all processed meat, including hamburgers, as a top-tier carcinogen (the same category as tobacco and asbestos). And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Meat consumption has also been linked to digestive health issues, obesity and diseases like diabetes and heart disease — the number one global killer.
“There is a long-standing epidemiological link between the consumption of red meat (beef, pork, and lamb) and the incidence of carcinomas, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality.”
— Samraj et al. (2014)
Studies from the University of Oxford estimate that a global shift to a plant-based food system by 2050 could save millions of lives and avoid a staggering $1 trillion in healthcare costs annually.
3 — Cruelty and exploitation
The true cost of a cheap burger not only includes environmental degradation and public health risks but also the ethical toll of this exploitation — a burden carried by the world’s most vulnerable.
The immense suffering inflicted on humans and animals is never factored into the price of meat products. Every 30 minutes, as many animals are killed for human consumption as people have died in the six years of the Second World War — the deadliest conflict in human history. Meat production is also responsible for an unfathomable amount of human suffering (more on this below).
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Isn’t cheap food relief for low-income families?
One of the most damaging misconceptions around cheap meat is that it helps the “working class”. In reality, the meat industry is one of the most exploitative industries in the world, causing high rates of lifelong injuries, substance abuse, addiction, depression, anxiety issues, and PTSD among its workers. Slaughterhouse work is “still some of the most exploited labor in the world”. The laborers in meatpacking plants pay for our bargain burgers with their well-being.
“America’s Worst Graveyard Shift Is Grinding Up Workers”
— Bloomberg headline
“The meat industry is hiding a dark secret, as workers at ‘America's worst job’ wade through seas of blood, guts, and grease”
— Business Insider headline
“‘When We’re Dead and Buried, Our Bones Will Keep Hurting’: Workers’ Rights Under Threat in US Meat and Poultry Plants”
— Human Rights Watch headline
When looking at impacts on humanity, it’s not just workers who suffer. The negative impacts of this industry disproportionately affect socially disadvantaged people, from the health consequences of consuming meat to the environmental destruction that exacerbates global hunger. Furthermore, the industry’s massive contribution to human-made climate change poses an existential threat to all life on Earth.
The reality is that no one wins when meat is cheap. Someone, somewhere, is always paying the price. And when we look beyond what's immediately visible, we quickly realize that the meat industry harms us all.
For more on this, check out my recent article on the topic:
How Are Cheap Burgers Even Possible?
Given the staggering inefficiencies of animal agriculture, you may wonder: How is selling burgers for mere cents even economically feasible?
Here is the answer: The industry is propped up with billions in taxpayer dollars. Estimates suggest that without government subsidies, a pound of hamburger meat would actually cost $30.
A heavily distorted tax and subsidy system that unfairly advantages animal agriculture is the sole reason why consumers can still afford products from such a wasteful and destructive industry.
The Illusion of Cheapness
Promotions like National Cheeseburger Day not only directly incentivize unhealthy and unsustainable consumption habits but also perpetuate the myth that animal products are inherently cheaper than plant-based alternatives.
In fact, studies have shown that a healthier, more sustainable meatless lifestyle is significantly cheaper overall. A University of Oxford study compared food prices from 150 countries and found that switching to a plant-based diet reduces food costs by up to 30%. The researchers concluded that plant-based food patterns “were generally most affordable”.
However, misleading narratives around this issue and rampant pro-meat disinformation make it harder for consumers to make informed choices.
Moral Bankruptcy
Selling parts of dead animals for mere pennies is an absurdity that trivializes life itself.
It reduces sentient beings, who endured a brief existence in cramped, often torturous conditions, to little more than a disposable commodity.
As Ghandi once said, “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” If there is any truth to these words, what does our merciless commodification of innocent animals say about us?
Conclusion
The real cost of a cheap cheeseburger cannot be found on a menu board. It is hidden in the suffering of animals, the exploitation of workers, and in catastrophic environmental destruction.
The allure of the 50-cent burger may be strong, but it’s time to honestly ask ourselves: at what price?
The idea that cheap meat benefits low-income families is a dangerous misconception; instead, it perpetuates a cycle of violence and destruction that harms society’s most vulnerable — and ultimately all of us.
The facts presented in this article not only underscore the urgent need to take animal products off the menu but also call for a critical reevaluation of our broken subsidy system:
Why on earth are we pouring billions of taxpayer money into an industry that can afford to sell the remains of dead animals for mere pennies?
If the hidden environmental and health costs were included, the price of animal products would be prohibitively high. It’s time for us to show some decency and prioritize sustainable, plant-based foods.
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Great article, thanks!