Rising food costs a major challenge for restaurant owners emerging from COVID-19 restrictions
Food costs from suppliers have risen significantly in the last year, and for at least one restaurant in Sault Ste. Marie, it means tough decisions are coming.
Customers have been keeping the staff at the Sault location of Wacky Wings location busy since restrictions eased up. But one of the owners said this week rising food costs have taken a toll on its profits.
"Actually, we've seen increases like we've never seen before in the entire history of Wacky Wings, to be honest with you," said Craig Burgess, Wacky Wings co-owner. "Prices of canola oil (is up) over 25 per cent, prices of chicken wings over 10 per cent."
Burgess said he's managed to cope through it for now, but the restaurant chain could soon be facing some tough decisions.
"It's getting challenging by the day because we're getting notices from the suppliers, left, right and centre," he said. "There's a very high -- likely -- chance that we'll have to be forced into making some type of smaller price increases to adjust."
The non-profit group representing the Canadian food industry said food costs are its third-biggest challenge, behind shutdowns and pandemic-related debt.
And, it said “customers will soon be feeling the effects of higher food costs.”
"In normal times, they try to put off raising menu prices as long as possible, but with the debt that most have accrued throughout the pandemic, they really don't have the leeway to delay the menu increases," said James Rillet of Restaurant Canada.
Like Wacky Wings in the Sault, Rillet said restaurants are feeling the pinch right across the country. And it could be a while before they rebound.
"We predict about a year, a year-in-a-half recovery period, so we're still in for a long haul and I think we'll start to see effects of, unfortunately, start to see shutdowns," he said.
Despite the challenges, Rillet said businesses are still gearing up for an exciting summer, with patio demand and an all-time high.
-- Written for the web by Darren MacDonald
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Liberal government not immune from auto thefts: 48 vehicles stolen in recent years
Documents tabled in the House of Commons this week show 48 government vehicles were stolen between January 2016 and February of this year, most of them in Ontario.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL has suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly at least nine games for violating the league's gender-based violence policy.