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by Chip Hanlon  | PUBLISHED: May 29, 2008 AT 7:25 PM |   | |

Get these stats from the local sushi restaurant at which I had lunch today, where business is already noticeably slow, according to the owner:

50-lb bag of rice: up 50% since February

Tempura Oil: up 100% over the same time

His menu prices? They haven't budged yet.  But, he says, "I'm going to have to raise prices soon--not by 40 or 50%, but at least ten.  My profits are getting ruined... it's going to be a very tough time for businesses."

So, it's just one little sushi joint, right? Not so fast. Ever since writing about inflation's ripples earlier this month, I've been seeing everywhere more and more signs that consumers have not yet seen the full impact of today's inflation, that price hikes haven't made their way all the way through to them. This sushi restaurant is one tiny example that more pain is almost certainly coming to the American consumer later this year.

By the way: the one core input of this restaurant owner which hadn't risen much yet was his fish. Our research says that price increase is coming before year-end.

Is this going to lead to the demise of small restaurants?

It's probably a lot easier to deal with price increases if you're able to buy in huge quantities.

Luckily we know that McDonald's doesn't plan to increase prices anytime soon.

The mantra of all commodity based inflation. The sushi chefs can always try to hedge it by speculating in the futures market like Skinner over at the Golden Arches!

Nice reference to Pento's McDonalds piece! That was the article of the week, wasn't it? Good stuff.

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