Fast food is facing a severe financial squeeze as surging gas prices, which jumped over 30 percent to nearly $4 per gallon in March 2026 due to conflicts in the Middle East, put intense pressure on consumer spending. This spike has driven a "demand destruction phase" for the industry, resulting in declining sales and falling stock prices for major brands like McDonald's, Wendy's, and Chipotle as customers cut back on discretionary spending.
In this 2 April 2026 published video, host John Papola talks with investor and economist David Bahnsen to unpack what really happened in the 2008 financial crisis. Socialists blame capitalism and Wall Street, while libertarians blame the government, especially the Federal Reserve, but David argues that all of the popular narratives are missing a key piece.
