Gone are the days of the ubiquitous $1 slice, but in a city with $15 build-your-own salads and $5 coffees, pizza is still a reliable and filling meal that won’t hurt the pocket. Inflation rates have affected everyone — from the average consumer to restaurateurs — and rising cost of flour and cheese have caused local pizzerias to increase their prices. Today marks National Pizza Day — yes, that’s a thing — so stop by your favorite spot to grab a slice because they could use your help.
Last year saw the highest rate of inflation since 1981, peaking at 9.1%. As of December 2022, the rate of inflation decreased to 6.5%, which is still high.
“You can have a shock or a disturbance from the supply side, you can have something happening from the demand side,” said CUNY economics professor Merih Uctum, who attributes the supply and demand “shock” to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the war in Ukraine, which affected flour prices around the globe.
According to the Associated Press, Ukraine accounts for 12% of the world’s wheat supply and the conflict caused a 37% increase on the grain in 2022.
“Costs of goods sold have increased, labor cost has increased, Con Edison prices have skyrocketed, we’re probably at a 30%-40% (increase) year over year,” said Michael, third-generation owner of Best Italian Pizza which has been at the southwest corner of Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse since 1973 and asked to be identified by first name only. He said that the cost of mozzarella cheese went from $2.46 to $3.46 per pound and a bag of flour went up $1 per bag and Michael has also had to reduce operating hours due to increased petty crime in the neighborhood, which cuts into his revenue. The pizzeria once closed at 11 p.m., they now close at 9 p.m.
Local pizzerias not only provide an affordable way to get your fill, but they also build a sense of community.
On a Sunday afternoon, a man walked into Yankee’s Pizza on Westchester Avenue and…
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