ATLANTA — Local restaurants are trying to figure out how to avoid passing increased costs on to their customers. Food and supply prices have gone up double, even triple, on some products, “We have multi different things on our menu. We have sliders, tacos and lamb chops. It’s infused with different cultures, from Mexican food to Ethiopian food,” said Yosef Tekola with Yo! Chef What’s Cooking on Buford Highway.
But Yosef Tekola said their most popular item is a dish “called the Cajun Pasta. I love pasta so I have many dishes.”
Yosef said it’s becoming difficult to provide these great dishes to his customers. “Heavy cream is the hardest to find right now as far as cream, any dairy products because our cheese comes from Chile. Our lamb chops comes from New Zealand and our pasta comes from Italy.”
Tekola said because of inflation, yesterday’s prices are not today’s prices, “As far as wings, we used to purchase a case for $98, now it’s $180. Heavy cream, we used to purchase it for $38 a case. Now we purchase it for $54 a case. Gloves, we used to purchase it before COVID $48 a case, now we get it for $160.”
Carlos Zanbrano is the CFO of La Costilla Grill, also on Buford Highway. He specializes in authentic Mexican food. “We do have a few products and a few direct distributors who brings the products from Mexico,” said Zanbrano.
His restaurant is feeling the impact of inflation too, “Meat is number 1. Any kind of protein has probably increased about 35%. Onions, tomatoes, lettuce, limes and lemons. We used to pay for a case of limes about $38, now a case of limes is $90,” said Zanbrano.
Because of the increase, inflation is leaving them in a bind. “You can’t raise the prices to our customers, because they won’t be able to come back. They won’t be able to afford to come back,” said Zanbrano.
“We don’t want to raise our prices on the menu, because that will hurt our customers to come in to our restaurant and shop with us. We have to stay competitive but at the same time inflation is killing us,” said Tekola.
Both owners say they’re trying to see how long they can go without raising their prices.
But right now, they’re trying to find other places to get their food products that are perhaps cheaper, without ruining the quality of their menu.
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