By Nigel Maxwell

Restaurant prices getting upsized in 2018

Dec 22, 2017 | 1:00 PM

The cost of going out to your favourite restaurant could be a bit more expensive in 2018.

According to Canada’s Food Price Report, the average Canadian family is expected to spend $208 more next year when eating out compared to 2017. This represents an increase of almost eight per cent.

Study author Sylvain Charlebois said two-thirds of the family budget will be spent on food services.

“If you want to save some money in 2018, stay at home and cook, and if you can’t well you’re gonna pay more,” he said. “People just love to go out so I suspect it will get even worse in 2018.”

The main drivers for the increase is the rising cost of fruits and vegetables. Next year is expected to be an El Nina year so there will be less moisture. Distributors have also felt the pinch from the California wildfires.

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The inflation rate has remained steady this past year for most provinces. Charlebois said Saskatchewan was one of the exceptions where prices increased the most.

“The economy is actually not doing too badly, usually food prices go up when grocers know the consumers can cope with higher prices and I think that’s part of the situation,” he said.

Sean Dieno, the manager at Boston Pizza in Prince Albert, told paNOW they have to increase their prices annually due to the inflation rate but added the bigger impact will likely fall on the mom and pop style businesses.

Philip Fourie, the owner at the Rusty Owl, confirmed he is considering raising his prices but said it would only be by a small margin if he did.

“We don’t have a choice because our costs go up so high,” he said.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell