Tomato shortage hitting stores, restaurants

Tomato shortage hitting stores, restaurants


SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - March 9, 2010 (WPVI) -- There's a severe shortage of tomatoes, and it's showing up everywhere from your favorite Italian restaurant, your local fast food restaurant, and of course the supermarket.

At Scannicchio's in South Philadelphia fresh tomatoes are a staple for their Italian cuisine and are popular among patrons.

But while the price stays the same for the customers' tomatoes are setting the restaurant back these days after the frigid Florida winter caused a severe tomato shortage and soaring prices. With 70% of the crop destroyed the wholesale price is nearly five times higher than last year! Management at Scannicchio's is longing for summer and the much cheaper Jersey tomatoes.

The shortage isn't going unnoticed by fast-food restaurants. At some Wendy's stores your burger will only come with tomato at the request of the customer. It's a short-term policy the company hopes will only last a few more weeks.

Restaurants aren't alone in feeling the pinch. At supermarkets, customers are seeing an increase in prices and are accordingly adjusting their menus and their shopping lists, by buying a little less because they cost a more. Signs posted in one supermarket predict that the elevated prices will only last a few more weeks. In the meantime customers will just have to weather the storm.