Heading Back to the Office? Be Prepared for 'Lunchflation'

There's no such thing as a free lunch, and that's never been as painfully true as it is now. Prices for midday meals like sandwiches and salads have outpaced price increases on most other foods since the start of the pandemic, according to a new "lunchflation" report from digital-payment platform Square. The average cost of lunch jumped 7% in just a year thanks to restaurant-industry woes like inflation, labor shortages, and supply-chain disruptions. Still, many items are hitting wallets even harder, based on 28-day rolling averages in major cities across the U.S.

Related: Record Inflation Continues to Bust Consumers' Budgets

Lowest average price since March 1, 2020: $9.44

Average price on March 1, 2022: $10.32

Price increase: 9%

Sweetgreen, a fast-casual salad chain that's particularly popular with office workers, hiked its prices an average of 6% in early 2022 to cover soaring costs, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

Lowest average price since March 1, 2020: $10.15

Average price on March 1, 2022: $11.10

Price increase: 9%

No surprise here — meat prices have been going berserk. Ground beef alone is up nearly 14% year over year, according to the latest update of the Consumer Price Index. 

Lowest average price since March 1, 2020: $9.05

Average price on March 1, 2022: $10.21

Price increase: 13%

Loading up a wrap with fresh produce and lean proteins probably feels like a smart choice ... until you look at the receipt. Lettuce alone is up almost 8% year over year, according to the CPI. 

Lowest average price since March 1, 2020: $9.40

Average price on March 1, 2022: $10.77

Price increase: 15%

Inflation certainly isn't sparing one of our favorite grab-and-go lunches. Even a humble Wawa hoagie now runs $5 instead of closer to $4, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Lowest average price since March 1, 2020: $5.43

Average price on March 1, 2022: $6.48

Price increase: 19%

Will this painful price hike be enough to make us rethink Taco Tuesday? Even Taco Bell, the last refuge of the penny-pinching taco lover, raised prices 10% between mid-2020 and 2021, reports Business Insider. 

Lowest average price since March 1, 2020: $7.41

Average price on March 1, 2022: $9.47

Price increase: 28%

Everything about soup seems so sensible, except this absolutely insane price bump. Consider getting your soup fix at home: The price there is up only 4% year over year, according to the CPI.