Some restaurant chains are rationing tomatoes and green peppers because freezing temperatures in Florida have cut into supplies.
Wholesale prices have as much as tripled, and in some cases orders are not as big as dealers would like.
The Subway Restaurant in Charlottetown has posted a sign advising customers sandwiches will be lighter on vegetables than usual. Instead of three tomato slices on each sub you can only get two, and the same goes for green peppers.
Customer Wendy Munro said she understands.
"I can understand how cutting down one tomato, one slice of tomato, would make such a difference to cost control in Subway. So I understand it. It's no problem for me," said Munro.
But for Shane Turner, general manager of Harvest Wholesale in Charlottetown, trying to keep costs down for his grocery store, restaurant and cafeteria customers is a serious headache.
"We're in the $55 range, some people are as high as $72 for a 25-pound [11.36 kg] case, and very similar with green peppers," said Turner.
"As early as probably three weeks ago, you could buy them for 28, 30 dollars."
Harvest schedule will hit greenhouse
Charlie VanKampen grows tomatoes at a greenhouse in Charlottetown, and he said the situation will also hurt his business. The lost crop in Florida has forced the planting of a new one, disrupting the schedule of when crops will be ready for market.
"They're going to come out of production all in the same period in about six weeks, eight weeks," said VanKampen.
"That's when we'll see the price go down dramatically because we're all on the same schedule."
While some restaurants are looking to cut back, consumers may not see the price bump. Most grocery stores are choosing to absorb the costs.
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