LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As supply chain issues continue, eating out at a restaurant is getting to be more expensive.
Scott “Torch’ Sivori owns FDKY BBQ in Louisville. He has been in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years, but has never encountered anything like this.
"Quite frankly, nobody is going to pay me $40 a pound for brisket which is what theoretically I should be charging right now based on my costs and that’s just unreasonable," explains Sivori.
What You Need To Know
- Soaring food costs have forced restaurants like FDKY BBQ in Louisville to raise prices
- Inflated food costs, supply chain shortages and higher worker wages are just a few things FDKY BBQ is up against
- The hardest items to get for the restaurant are ribs
- Spectrum News 1 reached out to several other businesses that have all raised their menu prices recently
Inflated food costs, supply chain shortages and higher worker wages are just a few things this 38-year-old restaurant owner is up against.
To keep up, the BBQ joints owner said menu items have increased around 25% overall.
"I think it levels out when enough businesses close and the competitiveness for employees kind of levels. It’s all employee-based driven, that’s why the prices are up," Sivori said.
In the last few months, FDKY BBQ has had to pay more to get various items from its suppliers. Sivori noted a number of examples of recent price hikes: ribs, brisket and more.
"Our ribs are doubled in price. Our brisket is about 2 and half times in price from what it was before [the pandemic]. And then you combine that with the cost of labor, which you know you’re having to pay more," explains Sivori.
Restaurant management said chicken wings were another popular item that has become much more expensive to purchase.
The former accountant is continuing to adjust by offering smaller portions and sometimes passing the cost increase down to customers.
"We’ve used the combination of limiting and for example we only do the wings on Wednesday and when they’re out they’re out. You cannot afford to throw away anything that’s expensive at this point," said Sivori.
He explained that his small business didn’t want to increase prices for customers, but had to in order to make a profit.
"At the end of the day if we’re not making money it doesn’t make sense to do it. I mean, other people are not going to work for free," adds Sivori.
Faced with a number of challenges, local restaurant owners are continuing to rely on the community for their survival.
Spectrum News 1 reached out to several other businesses that have all raised their menu prices lately.