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I've always wondered...

We want to know: What have you always wondered? In one of our most popular series, we take your economic queries and get to the bottom of what keeps you wondering. Whether it’s how coupons actually work or where your wastewater really goes, no question is too big or small. This series all comes down to you—the listener!

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Business

How many burgers has McDonald's actually sold?

By Jana Kasperkevic

May 26, 2017

A McDonald's restaurant, August 1970. — Hulton Archive/Getty Images

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Business

Why do grocery stores sell gift cards to other places?

May 25, 2017

That wall of different gift cards hanging on hooks at the end of a drugstore or grocery story aisle actually has a name: the gift card mall. — Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

All sides get something out of the deal.

Business

Didn't pick up your rental car? No problem.

By Reema Khrais

May 15, 2017

“Some rental car companies have been afraid to charge for no-shows with the fear that their competitors won’t and it would be used as a marketing campaign against them,” said John Healy, who follows the car rental industry for Northcoast Research. — Chris Hondros/Getty Images

Why is it that rental car companies don't penalize customers for flaking at the last minute?

Your Money

A starter guide for aspiring gold bugs

By Jana Kasperkevic

May 09, 2017

Gold bars are sold in different weights. Some come in blister packs. — JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images

What is the best way to buy gold bars?

Your Money

Cream cheese has a history wrapped in tin foil

By Jana Kasperkevic

April 26, 2017

Cream cheese bricks come in handy when making a cheesecake, but the foil packaging is not exactly reusable. — Victor Chavez/Getty Images

Why is the packaging so difficult to reuse?

Your Money

Green peppers are cheaper than their more colorful comrades. Here's why.

By Jana Kasperkevic

April 19, 2017

Kathy Curry of New Orleans buys bell peppers to stuff, a signature New Orleans dish. The USDA says the rise in pepper demand is due in part to a wider range of recipes calling for them. — Alex Wong/Getty Images

It has to do with time spent on the vine.

Business

Why the FDA doesn't like chocolate eggs with toys inside

By Jana Kasperkevic

April 14, 2017

The original Kinder Egg packaging, pictured above, is banned in the U.S. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Would you risk a $2,500 fine for a seasonal treat?

Economy

How women raised the median family income

By Mitchell Hartman

April 11, 2017

As women have entered the workforce in greater numbers, they've also contributed more to family income. — JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images

A listener asks whether we can compare the median family income in 1980 to the present, since more women are in the workforce.

Business

Why a burger at Carl's Jr. may be the same at Hardee's

By Annie Baxter

March 06, 2017

Is this a Carl's Jr. burger or a Hardee's burger? Or both? — CKE Restaurants

Why do seemingly identical brands go by different names in other regions?

Business

From farm to glass: How hops are priced

By Robert Garrova

December 26, 2016

Linda Reed of Paso Hops in California shows off some of the 2016 hops harvest. — Katherine Garrova / Marketplace

Hops provide the bitter taste beer drinkers love, but who says how much these fragrant little flowers are worth?

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