Food costs up during holiday season

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Owners Kelly and Jeff Ford of J. Ford's Black Angus Restaurant prepare for the mad dinner rush this holiday weekend.

"December is our busiest month with office parties, family get-togethers, gift certificate sales, it is by far our biggest month of the year," J. Ford's Black Angus Restaurant Co-owner Kelly Ford said.

Ford says nearly every night in December, their restaurant is full.

In fact, its sales are up by 50 percent: the highest ever.

However, rising food costs put a dent in profit.

"We know every December that we're going to hit a price increase.  so, you kind of build up into it and prepare yourselves," J. Ford's Black Angus Restaurant Co-owner Jeff Ford said.

This holiday season, the restaurant pays 20 percent more for food due to demand.

The trouble continues when you add in that they're still seeing the effects of last summer's drought.

Experts suggest you'll see the poultry, eggs and dairy products hit hardest.

"We'll even out. Obviously, it hurts. You hate to see it, don't want it to happen, but it's the reality of our industry and its what we deal with," Ford said.

You won't see the hike on the menu because Ford says they want to be consistent.

"I think people would be surprised at the amount of money that we actually spend on them to have a great experience here at J. Ford's," he said.

Prices are expected to stay higher through the first of the year.

"It'll shrink back down a little bit, but it'll never go back to exactly what it came from," Ford said.

Restaurants like J. Ford's hope to serve up the same Holiday specialties and somehow make up for the rising cost.

New Years Eve is the restaurant's busiest day of the year.

In fact, they're already almost booked.