A Look at Changing Food Prices of Spur’s R3.35 Burger in 1986 vs R119 Today

• A simple Spur burger is being used as a real-world example to show how food prices in South Africa have changed over the past four decades
• The comparison highlights how inflation, VAT changes, and rising operating costs have steadily pushed restaurant prices higher than many people realise
• What was once an affordable, everyday meal now reflects broader shifts in purchasing power and the cost of living

A Spur burger that once cost pocket change is now telling a bigger story about inflation, rising costs, and how much the rand has quietly lost over the years.

A familiar Spur burger has become an unlikely indicator of how food prices and the value of money have changed in South Africa over the past four decades. Investment expert Schalk Louw spoke to Business Tech on 5 January 2026, and shared a comparison after visiting Spur for the first time in years and ordering what he called the benchmark dish, the Spur Burger. He paid R119.90 for the meal, a moment that took him back to 1986 when the same burger cost just R3.35, highlighting the dramatic shift in everyday affordability over time.

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Louw’s comparison goes beyond nostalgia and taps into broader economic trends. He noted that the price of a Spur burger has risen by an average of about 9.23% per year over the last 40 years. When adjustments are made for changes in VAT, the increase still sits around 2% above South Africa’s Consumer Price Index. The CPI measures inflation by tracking the changing prices of everyday goods and services, such as food, transportation, and housing, making the burger a surprisingly relatable way to understand rising living costs.

How inflation reshaped eating out

Food prices in South Africa have been under pressure for years due to factors like higher input costs, electricity tariffs, fuel prices, labour expenses, and supply chain challenges. Eating out, once a regular and affordable family activity, has gradually become something many households plan for carefully. Restaurant meals now reflect not only inflation, but also the broader strain on the economy and consumer spending power.

Louw jokingly referred to the trend as burgerflation, using the Spur burger as a local benchmark similar to the global Big Mac Index. While lighthearted, the comparison offers a clear picture of how the rand has weakened and how much more South Africans need to earn today to enjoy the same simple meal they once bought without a second thought. Today, that same burger serves as a reminder of how everyday comforts have slowly become benchmarks for measuring the rising cost of living.

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3 Other Briefly News stories about Spur

• An American posted a video visiting a favourite South African family restaurant, Spur, describing it as problematic.
• A woman’s dramatic reaction to her boyfriend’s marriage proposal at Spur went viral after she laughed, shook her head, and walked away from the kneeling man.
• A Spur birthday celebration video went viral on TikTok, showing staff bringing a fresh spark to a well-known tradition.

Source: Briefly News