Dining out regularly may become less appealing for many Canadians as higher food prices are passed on from restaurateurs who have to pay more for basic staples like flour, rice and just about anything in their kitchens.I'm not so sure the usually unfailingly amazing predictors at the Ceeb have got this one right.
Based, admittedly, on my personal observations while threading my way through masses of hippo-sized consumers at the local mall food court... I'm guessing most of these folks would give up a kidney before taking a pass on the many and various iterations of deep-fried whatever.
The boys at the Mother Corp., however, seem pretty determined to find a way to blame this on Big Oil.
Andrew Laffey, owner of the Hot House Cafe in downtown Toronto, says the first indication that prices are rising is that suppliers are adding fuel surcharges to their deliveries and "some have a flat fee per delivery and are charging so much per case."Of course... ol' Andrew does go on to say...
"This is not even to do with food prices. It is interconnected with the fuel crisis, and they are all using fuel as the catalyst to increase food prices," he says.
So far, he hasn't seen a decline in reservations — "not at this stage."Good grief.
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UPDATE: Good news, Ceebers...
The PM-in-waiting is on your side.
"Oh, what a mighty cheer must have gone up from the governing federal Conservatives when Liberal Leader Stephane Dion revealed plans to impose a carbon tax should he ever become prime minister."*
"The chance of that happening has all but disappeared."