As restaurants are still recovering from lingering COVID-19 effects, they're now being hit with another challenge, the rising costs for food.

The Ohio Restaurant Association tells 21 News meats are up 25 to 30 percent, cooking oils 30 to 35 percent and even eggs have spiked 30 to 40 percent, compared to last year. The ORA says crab and seafood has also increased in price and some items are just completely unavailable. 


"That's a big thing, people don't think about the oil," said Brian Fry, owner of Barrel 33 in Warren. "If your oil prices are up 50, 60 percent that affects almost everything you cook in a commercial kitchen," he said.


It's affecting things to the point where restaurants have had to increase menu items just to make their profits.


"We did one menu price increase about a year ago, maybe nine months ago. We're looking at possibly doing another one," Fry said.


"I do a lot of catering in the summer time, golf outings, steak fries, stuff like that and you know, last few I've done I've talked them out of doing steaks because, just, it's so much it's so expensive," said Ron Billon, owner of Big D's Newton Grill. "And they don't wanna pay for that. I mean, I'll cook it but I'm gonna have to charge you but you ain't gonna wanna pay for it. So, you know, it's a struggle sometimes," he said.


Officials attribute the cause of price increases to a number of things but say they're calling for prayers and for Congress to replenish restaurant revitalizations funds.


"We have about 220 members of congress who have signed onto this bill to replenish it," said John Barker, president and CEO of the Ohio Restaurant Association. "We need more obviously because congress is over 400, we need more to do that and so we're working on that," he said.


The ORA is also asking leaders to work with restaurants on allowing permanent extended outdoor dining which Barker says amounts to 20 percent of restaurant sales.