$100 of restaurant meals in 2000 costs $235.99 today. Over the 12 months to September 2026, restaurant prices rose 3.5%. Prices overall rose 96% since 2000.
Adjust any amount for inflation
Every year since 1964
- $100 of restaurant meals in 1964
- All prices (CPI)
| Year | Change from the year before | $100 then costs now |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.7% | $104.29 |
| 2024 | 4.1% | $108.15 |
| 2023 | 7.1% | $112.57 |
| 2022 | 7.7% | $120.54 |
| 2021 | 4.5% | $129.77 |
| 2020 | 3.4% | $135.67 |
| 2019 | 3.1% | $140.21 |
| 2018 | 2.6% | $144.54 |
| 2017 | 2.3% | $148.34 |
| 2016 | 2.6% | $151.80 |
| 2015 | 2.9% | $155.71 |
| 2014 | 2.4% | $160.17 |
| 2013 | 2.1% | $164.06 |
| 2012 | 2.8% | $167.57 |
| 2011 | 2.3% | $172.33 |
| 2010 | 1.3% | $176.36 |
| 2009 | 3.5% | $178.61 |
| 2008 | 4.4% | $184.82 |
| 2007 | 3.6% | $192.97 |
| 2006 | 3.1% | $200.01 |
| 2005 | 3.2% | $206.18 |
| 2004 | 3.0% | $212.68 |
| 2003 | 2.1% | $218.99 |
| 2002 | 2.6% | $223.67 |
| 2001 | 2.9% | $229.38 |
| 2000 | 2.4% | $235.99 |
| 1999 | 2.5% | $241.54 |
| 1998 | 2.6% | $247.59 |
| 1997 | 2.8% | $253.99 |
| 1996 | 2.5% | $261.23 |
| 1995 | 2.3% | $267.72 |
| 1994 | 1.7% | $273.80 |
| 1993 | 1.8% | $278.43 |
| 1992 | 2.0% | $283.43 |
| 1991 | 3.4% | $289.15 |
| 1990 | 4.7% | $298.92 |
| 1989 | 4.6% | $313.04 |
| 1988 | 4.0% | $327.50 |
| 1987 | 4.0% | $340.74 |
| 1986 | 3.9% | $354.29 |
| 1985 | 4.0% | $368.14 |
| 1984 | 4.2% | $382.68 |
| 1983 | 4.4% | $398.85 |
| 1982 | 5.3% | $416.27 |
| 1981 | 9.0% | $438.50 |
| 1980 | 9.9% | $477.92 |
| 1979 | 11.2% | $525.41 |
| 1978 | 9.1% | $584.08 |
| 1977 | 7.6% | $637.29 |
| 1976 | 6.8% | $685.58 |
| 1975 | 9.3% | $731.94 |
| 1974 | 12.8% | $800.37 |
| 1973 | 7.8% | $902.57 |
| 1972 | 4.0% | $973.04 |
| 1971 | 5.2% | $1,011.93 |
| 1970 | 7.5% | $1,064.13 |
| 1969 | 6.1% | $1,143.46 |
| 1968 | 5.2% | $1,213.66 |
| 1967 | 5.1% | $1,277.13 |
| 1966 | 4.6% | $1,342.70 |
| 1965 | 2.3% | $1,404.17 |
| 1964 | — | $1,435.76 |
Yearly averages of the monthly CPI-U index for this category; a year counts once BLS published at least 10 of its months. "$100 then costs now" compares each year's average with September 2026.
Against inflation
| Since | Restaurant prices | All prices |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | up 136% | up 96% |
| 1964 | up 1,336% | up 986% |
Since 2000, restaurant prices outpaced inflation; since 1964, restaurant prices outpaced it.
Biggest yearly jumps
- 1974: up 12.8% from 1973
- 1979: up 11.2% from 1978
- 1980: up 9.9% from 1979
Against wages
Since 2000, restaurant prices rose 136% while average hourly pay rose 132%, so restaurant prices grew faster than pay.
What moved restaurant prices
Restaurant prices rose fastest in 1974 (12.8%), 1979 (11.2%) and 1980 (9.9%), within what BLS calls the definitive era of sustained U.S. inflation, 1968 to 1983, marked by energy shocks in 1973 and 1979-80. Labor is the largest cost: ERS estimates labor accounted for about 64 cents of each dollar spent on food away from home in 2023. ERS says a strong labor market pushed wages higher across the food supply chain, and restaurant prices rose more than 7% in both 2022 and 2023. Over the year to September 2026 they rose 3.5%; ERS's September 2026 outlook forecast 3.5% for 2026, the 20-year average.
Reviewed October 17, 2026. Sources:
- BLS: data series CUUR0000SEFV
- BLS: Monthly Labor Review, "One hundred years of price change" (April 2014)
- USDA ERS: Chart of Note, "Food-away-from-home labor costs were almost 20 cents per dollar higher than food-at-home in 2023"
- USDA ERS: Amber Waves, "Food Price Inflation Slowed in 2023 and 2024" (June 2025)
- USDA ERS: Food Price Outlook, Summary Findings (September 2026 edition)
Sources
- BLS series CUUR0000SEFV: Food away from home (U.S. city average, to September 2026)
- BLS Consumer Price Index, all items (CPI-U)
- BLS Consumer Price Index category indexes and average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers (CEU0500000008)
- How we use these figures: our methodology
General information, not financial advice.