Boston restaurant prices are going up. One chef's advice? Go to the suburbs.
The cost of dining out in Boston is getting more expensive and the data backs it up.
According to the National Restaurant Association, the overall cost of food in April was nearly 5-percent higher than a year ago. Menu prices are up 4.3 percent year over year and that's driving some customers away.
Even a quick lunch in the city is starting to break the bank.
"I bought two tacos and a side of street corn, and it was $31," said Kat, a customer at Hub Hall, Monday.
She's not alone. Several customers said they paid more than $30 for lunch.
"I won't do this every day, it's kind of a treat," one diner said.
For Kat, Monday was unusual. "I no longer eat out. Today was an exception, but for the most part, I try and bring it in," she said. "Because it's like unbearable."
Why prices have increased
Restaurant owners said the spike in prices is due to a variety of factors, from higher food costs to rising wages and utilities.
"You'd only have to charge $18 for a cheeseburger to make your food costs off that cheeseburger," said Marc Sheehan, chef and owner of Northern Spy in Canton. "But then when you're factoring in the price of the cook cooking it, keeping the lights on, the cost of gas, the cost of energy, the rent that the space is dealing with where it's located."
Despite these challenges, Sheehan said he has managed to keep his menu relatively affordable by sourcing ingredients locally and maintaining strong relationships with his suppliers.
Cheaper in the suburbs?
His advice for diners looking to save? Head to the suburbs.
"I was at a meeting a couple of months ago with some people in the restaurant industry in Boston, and they were all talking about the challenge of offering a lobster roll on their menu, and I was the only person operating in a suburban location," Sheehan said. "They were all listing $50, $60 lobster rolls, and that sort of thing. I got asked how much ours was last summer, and I was like, 'uh $28.'"
The data supports this theory. Menu prices at restaurants across Boston continue to climb, encouraging more residents to skip dining out and opt for cooking at home instead.
