House cafeteria prices to go up

House cafeterias are planning to raise prices in less than two weeks to meet the continually increasing cost of food and fuel.

The Chief Administrative Office (CAO), which oversees the cafeterias in the four House office buildings, made the announcement Tuesday in conjunction with the food service provider, Restaurant Associates.

{mosads}“Unfortunately, the House food operations are not immune to what everyone is experiencing in supermarkets throughout America,” said Chief Administrative Officer Dan Beard. “While most increases are slight and will be barely noticeable, other items are more affected by the rise in wholesale food prices and some consumers in our cafeterias will notice the increase, as they already have in grocery stores and restaurants all over the country.”

Most food items and beverages will see an increase of about 10 percent on average on Oct. 24.

The cost of food, like most goods and services, has continued to rise over the past several years as the U.S. economy has withstood prolonged periods of hardship.

Wholesale food prices have risen more than 8 percent so far this year and increased more than 7 percent last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Talk of food costs rising emerged three weeks ago as the CAO announced the introduction of compostable water bottles throughout the House eateries.

New York-based Restaurant Associates was given the option to increase its cost of foods if the market rate for those foods rose when it signed on to handle the House food services at the end of last year.

“We can no longer absorb these price increases,” said Restaurant Associates in a statement. “Like our suppliers, we are forced to increase our prices in the House food service operations.”