PHOENIX — Dining out is always a nice option if you want to opt out of cooking dinner. But if you live in Arizona it's going to cost you more than other parts of the country.
The state recently ranked No. 2 for climbing costs at restaurants.
That ranking came from an article in USA Today that looked at data from the restaurant reservation website OpenTable.
Steve Chucri, the president of the Arizona Restaurant Association, talked to 12News about what is causing the climbing costs.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Recientes aumentos de restaurantes afectan la cartera de los arizonenses, le decimos por qué
Chucri said the recent rise in prices is centered around industries being hit by inflation across the country.
Arizona restaurant pricing is more than double the national 9% average. Chucri said the reasons for that are simple and many stem from inflation.
"You've got that ripple effect that's going to hit us when it comes to buying food items, aprons, napkins, dry goods all those things add up quickly," Chucri explained.
The USA Today article added that even though reservations are down by 1% nationwide, restaurants are still doing business.
"20 to 25% of our sales are attributed to to-go ordering, which don't make any mistake about it, people are still dining out, they just may be bringing it home or taking it to their home office, whatever the case maybe," Chucri said.
Chucri said even though, according to the article, supplies prices for the food and beverage industry are up 6% since the beginning of the year, restaurants will try to steer clear of passing that cost onto the consumer.
"Higher prices at restaurants aren't good for business, so they try to minimize that as much as they can before having to pass that on through menu pricing," Chucri said.
So what can you do if you're looking to save while still dining out?
First, look for spots that offer discounts, whether it be senior, student or military discounts.
Second, look for restaurants with deals on gift cards. Sometimes you can even pick up gift certificates at cheaper rates at big box stores like Costco.
Third, consider using a credit card that offers cash-back deals for dining out.
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The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.