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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Grocery prices\u00a0stayed flat in May<\/a>, after\u00a0ticking down<\/a>\u00a0the month before. But menu prices, a source of frustration for budget-conscious consumers, are still going up \u2014 even as restaurants\u00a0brag about their discounted meals<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n \n Menu prices rose 0.4% at sit-down restaurants from April to May, adjusted for seasonal swings, according to\u00a0inflation data<\/a>\u00a0released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In that time, prices ticked up by 0.2% at limited service spots, which include fast casual and fast food joints.\n <\/p>\n \n The difference between grocery increases and menu price inflation was more pronounced for the full year. Grocery prices rose 1% in the 12 months through May. In that period, menu prices at full-service, or sit-down, restaurants rose 3.5%. They jumped 4.5% at limited-service restaurants, which include fast food and fast casual joints.\n <\/p>\n \n Those increases, particularly in fast food prices, have caused customers to\u00a0pull back<\/a>, eroding the sector\u2019s reputation for affordability.\n <\/p>\n \n Restaurant chains raise menu prices every year, but the pace has increased since the pandemic. While higher prices didn\u2019t scare people off at first, customers seem to have had enough, leaving chains to reverse course.\n <\/p>\n \n Read more here.<\/a>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n