Stimulus Checks: How Many Big Macs You Could Buy With That $1,200 Payment

When it comes to stimulus checks, many are pressed on what they should spend on if and when they receive it. Others are just desperate for the government payments as they are struggling through unemployment amid the pandemic. The payments are a serious matter, as its the coronavirus pandemic that made them a priority.

But there are moments when levity is warranted and we need to step back from the grey march of reality to have a little fun. That's why we were curious about how many Big Macs one could buy from McDonald's with their check. For comparison's sake, we've also included Burger King and Wendy's in the mix to show just how far you can stretch a dollar for each restaurant's signature sandwich. And while each restaurant has its own deals and specials, the firm total will only reflect the regular price of each burger.

So at McDonald's, the general price of a Big Mac stands around $3.99 plus tax. There are times when the Big Mac is available as part of the rolling 2 for $5 deals at the restaurant. McDonald's limited COVID-19 menu does negate that at the moment, though. There are also quite a few variations in price around the United States, with the price rising above $4.50 in some areas. For the sake of this casual investigation, we will stick with $3.99 as the average.

So with your stimulus check in hand, you could cash it and walk into a McDonald's to order 301 Big Mac sandwiches. And if you want the meal with each, subtract 100 sandwiches from the order, bringing you around 200 sandwiches, 200 fries, and 200 drinks. If the math is off, blame public schools.

So moving around, Burger King and its Whopper have long been the chief rival of McDonald's and the Big Mac. One would believe that this would guarantee a cheaper option based on competition alone. And factoring in Burger King's rolling 2 for $6 Whopper deal, you would be correct in that assumption. Sadly, that isn't the case when just buying a single Whopper. Coming in as high as $4.99 at some restaurants, and $4.69 at others, the average stands around $4.19 according to some snooping around the internet. That would mean you could purchase about 286 Whoppers compared to 300 Big Macs. And you will get even less when considering your local Burger King's prices.

Wendy's actually is the cheaper option between the three, with Dave's Single as the chain's marquee burger landing at an average $3.50 per sandwich. That would mean you could walk away with around 342 burgers. These would also be burgers that are touted as never frozen, meaning they are considered higher quality than competitors.

In reality, purchasing such a high amount of fast food will likely cost you much more than $1,200 in the long run. Medical bills and shortened lives are quite expensive compared to ground beef and steamed buns. Also, spending your stimulus check on Big Macs would be quite wasteful. Not everybody receiving stimulus money are in need, while others are desperately in need of more than just $1,200. A far better decision would be donating the money to a local food bank or charity. You could even give the check to someone you know who needs it more than you do. Buying a pickup truck bed full of Big Macs might be funny to pond, but a mature decision is needed in daily life.