Some foods reflect the state of the economy. The Costco hot dog. The $1 pizza slice. A dozen eggs. Rumors of price hikes on these items don’t just track to rising ingredient costs; they signal broader sentiment shifts among companies and consumers.

In Philadelphia, the cheesesteak has long been that economic bellwether. As a city, our general mood is often defined by the state of our cheesesteak scene – how easy it is to get a decent one and how much it costs. These days, we’re all a little on edge. The cost of a cheesesteak is going up. It’s not unusual to see steaks at reputable neighborhood shops approaching the $15 or $20 mark (and that’s before the truffle wiz and wagyu ). The media, and the city, have taken notice . As restaurants and food suppliers contemplate raising prices, P

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