Shrinkflation on the Menu Sparks Unsavory Yelp Reviews

Reviewers on Yelp have a bitter taste in their mouths and are taking to the social site as meal sizes shrink amid rising costs for everything and they feel the pinch of paying more for less.

The second quarter of this year is the first time diners have taken to Yelp to express their dismay over noticeably smaller restaurant portions as shrinkflation has taken a bite out of everything from snacks and slices to burgers and sandwiches. And that’s just in the food category.

See also: Despite Attempts to Go Undetected, Shrinkflation Rankles Food Shoppers

“Inflation mentions in Yelp reviews are increasing more than ever before, and for the first time, we’ve seen mentions of shrinkflation-related experiences,” said Pria Mudan, Yelp’s data-science leader, referring to a report on activity during the second quarter.

Hot dogs, burgers, pizza, and other lower-cost menu items had the most complaints on Yelp. Searches for the least expensive eateries went up 7% in the second quarter over the previous, while searches for the priciest dropped by 12%, Yelp said in a Wednesday (July 20) press release.

Read more: Chili’s Exec: Flexibility Is the ‘Guiding Principle’ of Anti-Inflation Value Menu

“In Q2 2022, consumers are talking about shrinkflation-related experiences most commonly at restaurants serving more affordable offerings like hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, followed by seafood restaurants, Italian food, and Chinese food,” according to Yelp.

A small box of Kleenex went from 65 tissues to 60, Chobani Flips yogurt reduced its serving size from 5.3 ounces to 4.5-ounces, and a regular bag of Dorito’s went from 9.75 ounces to 9.25 ounces, according to a report in NPR. Prices stayed the same.

Related: Banks Watch Nervously From Sidelines as 9.1% Inflation Crushes Consumers

Inflation in the U.S. escalated to a 40-year high last month to 9.1%, which the Federal Reserve moved to offset by increasing interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week that prices were up at a rate not seen in more than 40 years. The Consumer Price Index was up 9.1%, outpacing the 8.8% that had been expected, PYMNTS reported.