Democratic politicians and commentators say we should stop worrying about inflation now that it’s cooled to 3.2%. They should try eating out. At a humble Turkish restaurant near my home in Tampa, Fla., the cheapest item on the kids’ menu was $14 last week. It costs nearly $30 to take my family of four to our favorite ice cream shop, and that’s if we order single scoops and tip less than the touch-screen register recommends. At an eatery Google Maps labels with two dollar symbols—meaning it’s moderately priced compared to others—I recently paid $31 for tagliatelle bolognese, which has since risen to $32.90. My inattentive waiter presented the bill with three pre-set tip options: 22%, 25% or 30%.The cost of dining out increased 5.4% between October 2022 and October 2023, but it feels as if ...
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