From 15 Cent Burgers to $50,000 Cars: What Does Normal Really Cost Today? | 07-27-26

Sam Bushman breaks down a viral story about Scotty's Drive In, a 60-year-old burger joint in Idaho Falls that started selling burgers for 15 cents in 1964. That leads into a deep dive comparing minimum wage, burger sizes, cars, and homes then versus now, and a fascinating back and forth with ChatGPT about whether inflation (CPI) or gold and silver is the better measure of affordability. The real question isn't what things cost; it's what it costs to build an ordinary life today compared to what past generations considered normal. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro, broadcasting live from the Rocky Mountains 0:18 Nostalgia for cheap childhood hamburgers 1:56 Minimum wage then versus now, CPI versus gold and silver 2:24 The Scotty's Drive In story, 15-cent burgers since 1964 4:25 How much smaller burgers actually were back then 6:55 Comparing McDonald's, Red Robin, and Five Guys pricing today 8:24 The big question: what does it cost to live an ordinary American life 12:33 Comparing 1964 versus today: homes, cars, and one-income families 18:01 The real comparison we've been missing 20:08 What are you willing to sacrifice: cars, AC, streaming, bathrooms 23:28 Gratitude, hometown businesses, and building the best of both worlds Call to action: If this got you thinking about what "normal" really costs today, share it with someone who needs the perspective, subscribe for more Liberty Roundtable conversations, and drop a comment telling us what you would be willing to sacrifice to make life more affordable.