Menu-price inflation accelerated in December

CHICAGO, January 13, 2026 — Menu prices rose in December by 0.7%, seven times the rate clocked at the end of the third quarter and more than double the rate of inflation across all categories of U.S. goods and services, according to new data from the federal government. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics pegged the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month at 0.3%, or the same rate recorded for September, the most recent prior month for which data was collected and analyzed. Pricing information for October and November was not collected because Congress' failure to agree on a new budget forced the federal government to close for 43 days during 2025’s final quarter. 

The increase in menu prices was the highest logged by BLS since at least June. The acceleration raised overall menu inflation for 2025 to 4.1%, a slightly higher upswing than many trackers of food-at-home prices had projected. Prices of the various goods that factor into the CPI increased 2.7%, or a tick lower than had been expected. 

Food-at-home prices also rose 0.7% in December, but the price increase for all of 2025 amounted to 2.7%, significantly below the upswing for restaurants.  

Full-service restaurants raised their menu prices in December by 0.8%, while limited-service outlets held the increase to 0.6%. 

The BLS figures indicate that food-away-from-home establishments likely paid considerably more in December for the gas that powers their ovens and heats their dining rooms. The price of piped gas jumped 4.4%, the largest increase for any of the goods or services that figure into the CPI.  

The cost of electricity, in contrast, slipped 0.1%.  

The overall figures for 2025 illustrated why many foodservice establishments have been bemoaning their utility bills. As of December, the price of piped gas had spiked by 10.8% from the year-ago rate, and electricity charges had risen 6.7%. No other CPI component showed increases of that scale.