Our commitments, standards, and limitations around every price we publish — and what you can do when something is wrong.
📅 Last Updated: March 2026
Our Commitments
What We Promise About Our Prices
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Always Timestamped
Every restaurant page displays a "Last Updated" date. You always know exactly how fresh our data is before you rely on it.
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Always Labeled as Averages
We clearly state on every page that prices are national averages. We never present our data as guaranteed local prices.
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Fast Error Correction
Price correction reports are our highest-priority support queue. We investigate every report and respond within 24 hours on business days.
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No Paid Placement
No restaurant pays to have their prices appear lower, more accurate, or more prominently than they deserve. Ever.
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Source Documentation
Every price in our database has a documented source. We can trace any price back to its origin for internal audit purposes.
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Continuous Improvement
We regularly audit our data quality and refine our verification processes. Accuracy improves over time as our dataset matures.
Data Reliability
Accuracy Tiers by Data Type
Not all data on Meals Prices is equally reliable. We categorize our data by type and clearly communicate its reliability level:
Data Type
Reliability
Source
Update Frequency
Calorie & Nutrition Data
⬤ Very High
Official restaurant nutritional guides, FDA disclosures
When restaurant publishes changes
National Average Prices
⬤ High
Multi-source verified: official sites, apps, community
Daily automated + editorial review
Allergen Information
⬤ High
Official restaurant allergen guides
When restaurant publishes changes
Seasonal & Limited Items
⬤ Medium
Official announcements + community confirmation
Weekly or when notified
App & Promotional Prices
⬤ Medium
App screenshots + community reports
As reported — changes frequently
Regional Branch Pricing
⬤ Variable
Primarily community-sourced, spot-verified
As community reports come in
Secret Menu Items
⬤ Lower
Community sourced, officially unconfirmed
As community reports come in
Understanding Variance
Why Prices May Differ From What You See
Even with our best efforts, there are legitimate reasons the price on Meals Prices may differ from the price at your local restaurant:
🏙️Geographic Cost of LivingImpact: High
Franchise operators in high cost-of-living cities like New York, San Francisco, and Boston routinely charge 20-35% more than the national average. Our national average cannot reflect every city's pricing.
📱App vs In-Store PricingImpact: High
Many chains charge different prices through their mobile app versus in-store or drive-through. App prices are often lower due to digital-exclusive deals. We note where data is app-specific.
⏰Time Since Last UpdateImpact: Medium
Our data is updated daily for major chains, but prices can change between our update cycles. A price updated yesterday may already be outdated for some locations.
🎄Promotional & Seasonal PricingImpact: Medium
Limited-time offers, value deals, and seasonal promotions can cause prices to fluctuate significantly. We try to note promotional prices but may not capture all of them.
🏢Franchise vs Corporate LocationsImpact: Medium
Franchise-owned locations (the majority of major chain restaurants) set their own prices within brand guidelines. Corporate-owned locations may be priced differently.
🛫Airport, Stadium & Venue SurchargesImpact: Low
Restaurant locations in airports, stadiums, theme parks, and other captive venues typically charge significantly higher prices. These venue-specific prices are generally excluded from our averages.
💱State & Local TaxesImpact: Low
We publish pre-tax prices. Total cost including sales tax varies by state and municipality. Some states also impose special food-service taxes.
Error Correction
Our Correction Response Commitments
4h
Critical Errors
Prices off by more than 20%, items marked as available that are discontinued, or allergen information errors
24h
Standard Corrections
Prices that are outdated or slightly off, missing items, incorrect category assignments
72h
Minor Updates
Small price discrepancies within 10%, description improvements, image updates
Your Rights
What You Can Do
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Report Errors
Submit correction reports via any restaurant page or our contact form
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Request Sources
Ask us to provide the source behind any price in our database
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Audit Our Claims
Every accuracy claim on this page is backed by internal data available on request
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Dispute Decisions
If your correction report was dismissed and you believe this was wrong, you may appeal
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Meals Prices publishes national average prices which are approximately 94% accurate against true national averages based on internal audits. Calorie and nutrition data accuracy is approximately 97%. All prices are clearly labeled as national averages — actual prices at specific locations may vary.
Critical errors such as prices off by more than 20%, discontinued items, or allergen errors are addressed within 4 hours. Standard corrections are handled within 24 hours. Minor updates within 72 hours. Price corrections are our highest-priority support queue.
The most common reasons are geographic cost-of-living differences (high cost-of-living cities charge 20–35% more), app vs in-store pricing differences, time since our last update, promotional pricing, and franchise vs corporate location pricing differences.
No. Meals Prices has a strict no paid placement policy. No restaurant pays to have their prices appear lower, more accurate, or more prominently than they deserve. Our editorial policy is strictly enforced and no advertiser relationship influences our data.
Spotted an Inaccurate Price?
Price correction reports are the most valuable thing our community contributes. Tell us what's wrong and we'll fix it.