Historical comparison · Updated May 2026
Are grocery prices rising faster than restaurant prices?
The fixed 24-item grocery basket was $111.46 in May 2026, +47.1% versus May 2019; the dollar difference was $35.67 higher.
$75.79 in May 2019 → $111.46 in May 2026
Food at home versus food away from home
Since January 2019, the official food-at-home CPI changed +33.0%, while food away from home changed +40.8%. These broad CPI categories are shown separately from the narrower Basket Index.
Comparison methodology
Restaurant and grocery CPI series use their official January 2019 reference values; the Basket Report table retains its same-month item comparison.
Baseline observation: 2019-05. Latest observation: 2026-05. The item table includes 23 weighted items with an observed value in both periods; excluded observations are not estimated.
Grocery basket history
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI Average Price Data. Retrieved 2026-06-26. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Largest contributors
Ground beef contributed $5.85 of increase; Orange juice contributed $2.52 of increase; Milk contributed $2.51 of increase; Potato chips contributed $2.17 of increase; Eggs contributed $1.66 of increase. Contributions use fixed Basket Report quantities.
Item-level comparison
| Item | 2019-05 | Current | Change | Weighted $ difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef | $3.82 | $6.75 | +76.5% | $5.85 |
| Orange juice | $2.45 | $4.97 | +102.5% | $2.52 |
| Milk | $2.96 | $4.22 | +42.3% | $2.51 |
| Potato chips | $4.41 | $6.58 | +49.3% | $2.17 |
| Eggs | $1.36 | $2.19 | +60.9% | $1.66 |
| Tomatoes | $1.82 | $2.49 | +36.5% | $1.33 |
| Ham | $4.15 | $5.46 | +31.6% | $1.31 |
| Chicken | $1.48 | $2.04 | +37.7% | $1.11 |
| Bread | $1.29 | $1.83 | +42.0% | $1.08 |
| Chicken breast | $3.09 | $4.17 | +34.9% | $1.08 |
| Sugar | $0.58 | $1.03 | +78.3% | $0.91 |
| Bacon | $5.81 | $6.71 | +15.5% | $0.90 |
| Pork chops | $4.02 | $4.91 | +22.0% | $0.89 |
| Lettuce | $1.11 | $1.96 | +77.3% | $0.86 |
| Rice | $0.76 | $1.07 | +40.7% | $0.62 |
| Oranges | $1.33 | $1.54 | +15.9% | $0.42 |
| Potatoes | $0.77 | $0.89 | +15.8% | $0.37 |
| Cheddar cheese | $5.33 | $5.69 | +6.7% | $0.36 |
| Bananas | $0.58 | $0.65 | +11.6% | $0.20 |
| Butter | $4.11 | $3.93 | −4.4% | $-0.18 |
| Flour | $0.45 | $0.54 | +19.8% | $0.18 |
| Spaghetti & macaroni | $1.20 | $1.37 | +14.8% | $0.18 |
| Lemons | $2.17 | $2.09 | −3.5% | $-0.15 |
Important limitations
CPI food categories are broader than the 24-item Basket Index, so the page labels each series separately.
Basket Report uses U.S. city-average BLS observations. Store, region, brand, package-size, and household spending patterns vary. No missing value is filled or forecast.
Frequently asked questions
Does food away from home mean every restaurant?
It is the BLS aggregate CPI category, not a price survey of a particular restaurant.
Are the Basket Index and food-at-home CPI identical?
No. They use different item universes and weighting methods.