From Bon Appétit · Sam Stone · · 1m 40s
Everything is a luxury item now
From $77 roast chickens to shrinking portions, food prices have skyrocketed while what counts as luxury has completely shifted.
In brief
From $77 roast chickens to shrinking portions, food prices have skyrocketed while what counts as luxury has completely shifted. Restaurant prices have doubled or tripled in recent years due to fuel costs, inflation, and rising labor expenses, forcing diners to be more selective about where they spend. Originally…
Burgers now cost triple
A burger at DC's Le Diplomate costs $29, more than double the price from 13 years ago. McDonald's prices have doubled over the last decade while serving sizes shrunk.
Why everything costs so much
War in Iran is skyrocketing fuel prices, inflation is rising steeply, and restaurants face climbing supply, labor, and utility costs. The Fed just raised rates again.
Luxury items aren't rare anymore
Caviar and wagyu beef, once exclusive, are now common. You can get all-you-can-eat wagyu and seafood for $158, the price of two roast chickens at Gigi's.
Chipotle partners with Palantir
Chipotle is working with data-focused tech giant Palantir on a food safety platform to identify trends and reduce incidents. Palantir has previously contracted with ICE to track migrants.
China's blueberry boom
Driscoll brought blueberry technology to China 15 years ago. Chinese companies allegedly copied the technology and stole Driscoll's varieties. By 2025, Chinese production doubled the US output.
Prince's cheesecake legacy
Vanessa Drews started making cheesecakes and caught Prince's attention. After his death, she opened a brick-and-mortar shop four miles from Paisley Park, serving his favorite recipes.
Cyclospora outbreak officially over
The CDC has announced the Cyclospora outbreak is finished after 13,000 cases. Food safety concerns continue elsewhere, including reports of small stones and hard objects in ice cream.
In short
Restaurant prices have doubled or tripled in recent years due to fuel costs, inflation, and rising labor expenses, forcing diners to be more selective about where they spend.
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