The owner of a Black Country café says the cost of food has more than tripled in recent years, making it increasingly difficult for independent businesses like his to survive.
Rising food costs hit independent diner
Dan Caddy, who has run J's Diner in Brierley Hill for almost a decade, says buying 300 eggs from his supplier now costs him around £52. In 2018, that same order cost him just £16 – a rise of around 225 per cent.
The greasy spoon owner said rising costs had transformed the economics of running his American-style diner, tucked away in a busy industrial estate. When the business first opened, Dan said there was enough cash left over after paying all of his bills to invest back into the café.
"We got the tables, the chairs, the stainless steel kitchen, new plastic up the walls, everything decorated," said the dad. "That's not the case anymore."
He noted that during the pandemic, government support like furlough and Eat Out to Help Out provided some relief. "But, especially since Brexit, which is a sore topic for a lot of people, in a lot of different ways, the cost of all the ingredients has gone up exponentially."
"Everything just costs so much. It's £52 for 300 eggs. It used to be around £15.99 in 2018. It's more than triple now; a darn sight more than it was."
Impact of minimum wage and delivery apps
Dan said he supports increases to the minimum wage but believes small independents feel the impact more sharply than larger businesses. "It is a lot easier for big businesses," he said. "Not really for us, especially when costs are going up all the time: gas, electric, meat, the veg."
Like many food businesses, J's Diner is available on delivery apps. Dan described the apps as "convenient" and a "great" way to reach customers but said it comes at a cost. He makes more money if people buy directly from the diner and "cut out the middle man". "It usually costs the customer less money too," he said.
Breakfast challenge brings attention
In a successful bid to attract new customers, Dan introduced a 4,000-calorie Full English breakfast challenge – called the 'Bally Boster' – a few years ago. YouTube videos of competitive eaters Leah Shutkever and Beard Meats Food demolishing the massive meal have racked up over a million views.
Anyone who finishes the breakfast in under 30 minutes earns a place on the café's wall of fame. Leah managed to finish the challenge in just eight minutes and six seconds – a feat Dan admitted was as impressive as it was "slightly disturbing to see".
While the challenge has brought plenty of attention, Dan says it is his "brilliant" staff and loyal regulars who keep J's Diner going. "We have a couple of old fellas that come in most mornings for a cup of tea," he said.
Asked why they kept returning, he added: "We provide good quality food at a reasonable price. We don't use cheap ingredients. Obviously, the cost of everything has gone up so we've had to put our prices up a little bit – but we're affordable. We've got a great team and we're friendly. It's a nice place to come."
