Drought leads restaurants to raise prices, cut portions
The effects of the Midwest drought on prices for corn, meat and poultry are showing up on restaurant menus. Small eateries are being hit hardest.
Smokin' Jonny's BBQ opened less than a year ago, but pricey corn on the cob has already disappeared from the menu.
Rising beef prices are causing owner Jon Sekiguchi headaches as well. His Gardena restaurant sells beef ribs only on the weekends, when customers are more willing to splurge. And he's struggling to find affordable beef sausage for his $6.95 smoked sausage sandwich.
Scorching weather this summer in the Midwest left crops parched and livestock famished. Restaurants, already struggling with high fuel costs and a sluggish economy, are starting to feel the pinch of higher food costs.
"It's a tough one," Sekiguchi sighed. "I didn't want to sell corn for $3 when I used to charge $1.50. And it used to be better quality too."
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fi-drought-restaurants-20121014,0,3803482.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fmostviewed+%28L.A.+Times+-+Most+Viewed+Stories%29
= new reply since forum marked as read