Inflation driving up costs to eat out

A restaurant menu is seen in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, on Sunday. (Yonhap)

The inflation rate for food prices at dining establishments and prices of processed foods has been increasing at a faster pace than the overall inflation rate for consumer goods, a state-led agency’s data showed Saturday.

According to Statistics Korea, the inflation rate for food prices at dining establishments in August came to 5.3 percent, while the inflation of consumer prices reached 3.4 percent.

Government data also showed that food prices at restaurants have been increasing for 27 straight months.

By menu, the inflation rate of pizza saw the highest increase by 10.8 percent on-year, followed by tteokbokki, up 7.4 percent on-year.

The inflation rate of other food options such as popular on-the-go choice gimbap posted 7.4 percent increases.

Prices of processed foods have also been increasing for 21 straight months.

The inflation rate for processed foods in August came to 6.3 percent.

The inflation rate of a salad dressing saw the highest increase by 31.3 percent on-year, followed by gochujang, or red pepper paste, by 21.9 percent and cheese by 21. 2 percent.