Inflation snapshots: December 2009

[pwcmba]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Booked a flight to europe and I have never seen fees like this - THE BIG ONE IS FUEL (doesn't a flight always need fuel?)

Fuel Surcharge:	260.00

FARE INFORMATION

Fare Breakdown Airfare: 475.00 USD U.S. Customs User Fee: 5.50 U.S. Immigration User Fee: 7.00 U.S. APHIS User Fee: 5.50 U.S. Federal Transportation Tax: 32.20 U.S. Security Service Fee: 7.50 Portugal Security Tax: 10.00 Portugal Passenger Service Charge: 19.60 Fuel Surcharge: 260.00 U.S. Passenger Facility Charge: 13.50 Per Person Total: 835.80 USD eTicket Total: 1,671.60 USD
The airfare you paid on this itinerary totals: 950.00 USD
The taxes you paid on this itinerary total: 721.60 USD

[pwcmba]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

http://www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com/CPI/index.html

The cost of the 12 days of Christmas.

[c1ue]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Apparently the inflation hasn't been just recent either.

http://www.greeneggsmarketing.com/20...-portions.html

In the past 6-8 weeks I have slowly been observing some very dramatic changes they have made to their pricing structure and portion sizes. What I have seen is alarming for the future of one of the greatest restaurants in America

First let's reflect on what Chipotle used to be:

- Naturally raised products with no chemicals or preservatives.
- Made fresh daily salsas, sour cream, guac, cheese, beans, rice and meat prepared on an open grill.
- Moderate/Affordable pricing for this high quality/gourmet Mexican experience: just under $6 for an entree and 75 cents for chips. (Not bad considering what you could pay at many other places)
- Large portions that fill you up and the ability to get extra without receiving a dirty look from the employee.

Now, what has happened?

The prices have increased substantially. Burritos, Bowls etc depending on the meat you get have risen about 25 cents in price (this may vary depending on where you live). A brown bag of chips has gone up from 75 cents to $1.15 (FOR A BAG OF CHIPS!). The guac price and drink price has also gone up.

That's not even the worse part.....the portions are shrinking, significantly.

At the old Chipotle you used to receive a generous helping of rice, beans and meat. They used to cover your entree in as much cheese as you want and smother it in salsa and sour cream. Now however, it's quite the contrary.

Sure, you still get a nice portion of rice and beans (after all those are cheap). But they have gotten very stingy on the meat and cheese. A few weeks ago when the employee dropped about 3 pieces of chicken on my bowl, I asked him for more (not "double" meat, just the appropriate amount for a single serving). He put more on for me but then said, "I'm really not suppose to do that, they have cameras watching us."

WHAT!?!?! Since when does Chipotle monitor and track how much food their employees are serving up?!

The cheese is even worse. Personally I like a lot, I mean a lot of cheese on my bowl. Now the employees are sprinkling about 16 shredded pieces of cheese on top. I find myself asking 2-3 times for more cheese until they finally get it right.

This might sound silly to you, after all it's just a few cents right? You might not have even noticed. But that extra change adds up to be a substantial price increase to your final bill. Depending on what you order you're final check total may rise $2-$3. That's a lot for a "fast casual" chain with no service.

http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx...#ixzz0ZnDYIBDK

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. said this week it would increase menu prices by 6 percent in the current fourth quarter to help counter rising costs that led to a dent in third quarter profit.
The increase, which is on top of the current 4-percent year-to-year price increase already in effect from previous quarters, is not without risks, according to both company management and industry analysts. Customer traffic, already trending negative for the 800-unit burrito chain, may take an additional hit, as consumers continue to feel financial pressures that already have caused dining-out cutbacks.
Chipotle said the menu price increases are necessary to improve unit-level profit margins, which fell to 21.4 percent in the third quarter, from 23 percent last year. The company’s food, labor, occupancy and other operating costs together rose nearly 18 percent in the third quarter, the company’s report shows.

[ocelotl]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

oh, look... wsj sez the usa's new currency poverty has created a hot new dining trend :rolleyes:


we heard it here first!

Told you...

When you see shrinking sizes of coinage, you are welcome to rampant inflation, otherwise, it´s all anecdotes... And yes, some brands down here in Mexico are in the shrinking size fad.

Now, the most recent trick.

The most recent version, from august this year, just shows how it's done.
Go to page 15 to see comparison sizes. The new 10c coin is the smallest I've ever seen. Smaller than the previous record holder, the "corn" 10c coin of the '70s

http://www.banxico.org.mx/billetes-y...AFD7AC6%7D.pdf

[WildspitzE]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Another inflation anecdote: visiting family and was taken out to Denny's.

I was at an italian place last night, very good food and the price is of excellent value, in NY. I've been there many times.

Anyway, we finished our [small] break basket before our pasta arrived. When the pasta arrived I ordered another basket and the waitress told me that the first basket is free and that they would have to charge me $1 for each new basket.

They never did that before. At least the meat content in the pasta hadn't been reduced.... yet.

[jiimbergin]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Today while we were shopping we saw that russet potatoes now come in 8 lb bags instead of 10 lbs.

[radon]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Yep, cooked pasta today and was wondering why the Prego bottle seemed small.

Just wait until you get the new boxes of pasta. Once store replaced some of the old 16oz boxes with the new 12.5oz boxes the sauce works perfectly.

[ggirod]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Just wait until you get the new boxes of pasta. Once store replaced some of the old 16oz boxes with the new 12.5oz boxes the sauce works perfectly.

You may not have to wait too long. Three or four months ago pasta went from $1 a pound to 4/$5. Soon it will go to 4 - 12 ounce pkgs for $5. I have lots of $1 pasta in stock ... I bought it and the price went up a month or two later. I also watched as beans went from $.69 to $1.69 a pound about six or nine months ago ... but I have lots of $.69 beans.
Pasta, beans, rice, and dried vegetables I bought fresh from the summer farmer's market are my best performing investments so far this year. Dried carrots, onions, and celery just jumped joyfully into my batch of bean soup this very afternoon! They joined this week's winter delight of dried peppers and onions that went into my spaghetti sauce yesterday. Wise invesments paying off in this era of inflation.

[don]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

I posted this on another thread but it's a better fit here.

Our local hardware store, an institution, laid off 4 full-timers (unheard of) and told the rest raises are out of the question. (they haven't heard about the wage inflation wave yet, apparently :rolleyes: ) An old hand at the store told me prices in his department- tools, saw blades, the locked up good stuff- is increasing in price across the board.

The store's holiday trimmings were noticeably reduced, in every way.

They are feeling the poor economy and doing damage control. They are feeling inflation and they are passing it on.

[charliebrown]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

culver's a national burger chain had really good entree salads.
Good quality greens, generous size, good chicken.

Chicken appears to be the same size and quality, but greens have shifted to cheaper lettuce, size is definitely smaller. I used to be satisfied after eating now I am hungry. I Don't have any hard numbers on how much smaller.

[Kadriana]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

You may not have to wait too long. Three or four months ago pasta went from $1 a pound to 4/$5. Soon it will go to 4 - 12 ounce pkgs for $5. I have lots of $1 pasta in stock ... I bought it and the price went up a month or two later. I also watched as beans went from $.69 to $1.69 a pound about six or nine months ago ... but I have lots of $.69 beans.
Pasta, beans, rice, and dried vegetables I bought fresh from the summer farmer's market are my best performing investments so far this year. Dried carrots, onions, and celery just jumped joyfully into my batch of bean soup this very afternoon! They joined this week's winter delight of dried peppers and onions that went into my spaghetti sauce yesterday. Wise invesments paying off in this era of inflation.

I think my best is still my coffee. I made the mistake of buying some froze broccoli the other day and it was all stems. I think I'm going to have to freeze my own this summer if I want to eat anything decent next winter.

[c1ue]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

More evidence of inflation:

New Year's party in a Russian restaurant 2009 vs. 2008:

2008:

Table covered with food - ranging from chicken tabak to heaping plates of meat pastries, slices of steak, ahi tuna, smoked salmon, olivie salad, etc etc.

1 bottle each of cognac, vodka, and champagne at all times - replaced at need (all you can drink)

pitchers of cranberry juice, cola, orange juice, ice water for mixers

$150/head

Entire restaurant full

2009:

No chicken tabak. No steak. Only salmon in the form of 4 half dollar sized pita cups with chopped pieces. Olivie salad in the form of 4 small ice cream scoops. Ahi tuna was similar, but meat pastries were only a half plate full. Only other meats were in the form of sausage-like loafs.

1 bottle of vodka replaced on demand (3 times). Only 1 bottle of champagne given just before the New Year. 1 bottle of wine.

pitcher of cola only, cranberry juice had to be requested.

$200/head

entire upper floor empty. Restaurant 1st floor was full for only about 3 hours (11 pm to 2 am) - opening time was 10 pm.

[ggirod]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

I think my best is still my coffee. I made the mistake of buying some froze broccoli the other day and it was all stems. I think I'm going to have to freeze my own this summer if I want to eat anything decent next winter.

You may find, as I have, that dehydrating broccoli is good for casseroles and other cooked broccoli recipes. When you dehydrate vegetables, you remove the water that damages the cell walls when frozen ... so dehydrated plus frozen seems better than frozen alone ... don't trust me ... try half frozen and half dehydrated/frozen and choose which you like best. dehydrated frequently takes less space than fresh/blanched/frozen ... again, test and determine what you like best. The nice thing is that you control what happens ... and what results from your process.

[ggirod]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Inflation often first impacts quality before impacting price. This link on Esther Dyson's Twitter page may give you pause as you fly through Denver.

[metalman]

Re: Inflation snapshots: December 2009

Inflation often first impacts quality before impacting price. This link on Esther Dyson's Twitter page may give you pause as you fly through Denver.

Inflation in America - Part I: Five signs of inflation