Food Cost Rising, Salisbury Restaurants and Customers Preparing - WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's Choice

SALISBURY, Md. - It was only a matter of time.     

The droughts and floods affecting crops across the nation are uprooting food prices.  According to the Food Institute,this time next year, Americans could shell out an extra $4.00 a week just to put food on the table. Dining out, an extra $2.50.   

Salisbury residents are already preparing.

"Right now it's just about a matter of being picky, just not grabbing everything off the shelf," said Tom Moyers. "I've had to sit down and make a list of what we want and stick to them."

Carolyn Collins added that when she shops she "usually tries to follow the sales, get my coupons.  That's really the only way to do it."

"I typically cook all the dinners in my house as it is, we don't go out very frequently so that's not a big deal," said Dan Harris. "I basically realize that I rather eat good food, so I'll pay the extra money."

With the rising food prices, restaurants in Salisbury like Vinny's La Roma are taking a creative approach so not to affect their customers. 

"The best thing to do is have an interchangeable menu where you can swap out specials and menu items," said general manager Joe Bellia. "With most of the country covered in floods or drought, it affects your grain, your livestock and your cattle prices. It will eventually trickle down to the consumers, then to us and eventually, we will have pass it on to our customers."

While no business wants to pass on that burden, it's all a waiting game.  Restaurants and consumers can only brace for what could come.