Seafood price rise affecting Las Vegas restaurants

The rise in the wholesale price of seafood has presented challenges for local restaurants that specialize in those dishes, especially involving crabs and shellfish.

Jeremy Chen reports.

ACTION NEWS.LIMITED SUPPLY AND THECOST OF GAS...THOSE ARE TWO HUGE REASONSBEHIND A SURGE IN THE PRICE OFSEAFOOD ACOSS THE COUNTRY ANDHERE IN LAS VEGAS.13 ACTION NEWSREPORTER..... JEREMY CHEN SPOKEWITH ONE LOCAL RESTAURANTOWNER.... WHO’S DOING HISBEST.... NAVIGATING THESEUNCHARTED WATERS.THE PANDEMIC HAS CREATED MANYCHALLENGES FOR THE "CRABCORNER"-AND NOW THEY’RE FACINGRISING PRICES ON THE SEAFOOD ITSPECIALIZES IN- WHILE TRYING TOKEEP IT’S MENU PRICES REASONABLEFOR CUSTOMERS.OMIF YOU EVER EAT AT CRAB CORNERMARYLAND SEAFOOD HOUSE-ORDERS OF BLUE CRAB AND KINGCRAB LEGS ARE THE WAY TO GO.BUT GETTING THOSE DELICIOUSCRUSCTEANS TO THE RESTAURANT HASBEEN A CHALLENGE."My first question is always doyou have the item, and then mysecond question is how much doesit cost right now."A COST THAT HAS GONE UPSINGIFICANTLY IN A SHORT AMOUNTOF TIME.OWNER JOHN SMOLEN SAYING IT’SAFFECTING HIS HIGH DOLLAR ITEMSTHE MOST."King crab legs.

That hasreceived about a 90 percentincrease over the last 90 days.It’s something I’ve never seenbefore at such a rapidturnaround on pricing."SMOLEN ALSO SAYS THE WHOLESALEPRICE OF DUNGENESS AND SNOW CRABLEGS HAVE GONE UP BETWEEN 17 TO33 PERCENT- AND CLAMS AT ABOUT A100 PERCENT."We used to sell our Alaskanking crab legs for $34.99 apound and we’re currentlyselling them for $59.99 a poundwhich is still a very tightmargin."HE BELIEVES THE RISE COMES FROMA FEW FACTORS-LIKE THE PRICE OFFUEL GOING UP WHILE DRIVING THESEAFOOD TO ITS DESTINATION ASWELL AS THE COST OF GAS FOR THEFISHING BOATS OUT AT SEA.SMOLEN ALSO SAYS THE PANDEMICDEPLETED THE RESERVE SUPPLIES OFSEAFOOD AT WHOLESALERS---DRASTICALLY LIMITING THE AMOUNTFOR RESTAURANTS AND FISHMARKETS."So everything is being madejust in time in inventory andshipped to customers and untilwe can get our production wayback up ahead of our usage andbuild up a reserve supply, Idon’t see the prices changinganytime soon."SMOLEN SAYS HE’S DOING HIS BESTTO NOT HAVE HIS CUSTOMERSCOMPLETELY BEAR THE BRUNT OF THEPRICE INCREASES-AND SAYS PROFITMARGINS ARE MUCH TIGHTER THANBEFORE.HE REMAINS COMMITTED TO OFFERINGTHE BEST SEAFOOD AT THE BESTPRICE."They can always call and getthe pricing ahead of time, but Iwould be just ready to spendmore across the board.

The foodcost is higher and there’s notmuch we can do about that rightnow."THE OWNER ALSO SAYS ADDING TOHIS CHALLENGE IS THE PRICE OFFRYER OIL-USED TO COOK THESEAFOOD.HE SAYS THE WHOLESALE PRICE HASGONE UP ABOUT 200 PERCEN