Shreveport Food Costs: Chain Restaurant Prices Up 40% in Five Years

SHREVEPORT, LA - If I eat out, I usually go to locally owned restaurants that serve some of the best food in the world. But we have our fair share of chain restaurants in Shreveport, too. If you are a fan of some of these spots, you have probably noticed higher prices.

A new study from FinanceBuzz shows prices are up by about 40% at these eateries.
This report shows many of these chains have bumped up prices for egg dishes. But that's not all. The data shows the prices are up by close to 42 percent over the last five years.

This report tracked more than a dozen national chains. You might be surprised to learn Waffle House is the spot that bumped up prices the most. You are paying 96% more to eat at Waffle House these days. IHOP is next on the list with an increase of 82 percent.

This survey did find a few national chains kept prices in line with inflation. Those on the good side of the survey are Longhorn Steakhouse and BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse. These two bumped up prices by about 25%.

Inflation is not the only reason restaurants are boosting prices. Staffing has been a serious issue for many of these spots. This has caused the owners to bump up pay for the workers. That drives up costs and results in higher menu prices. But the owners are still struggling to keep workers on the job.

And this problem is compounded because the higher prices are keeping more people at home rather than dining out. Even fast food prices are out of reach for many folks.

Dining experts say you can try to get more bang for your buck when dining out by using a credit card that offers generous rewards for dining.

FinanceBuzz compared prices from 2020 and 2025. They only used menu items that were offered during both of those years.