00:00An hour before this Taipei Ding Tai Fong restaurant opened its doors on a weekday,
00:04local and international customers are already lining up for a table.
00:08Starting next Monday, the world-renowned Taiwanese soup dumpling chain is raising its prices by 5%,
00:15citing increasing costs of supplies and staff salaries.
00:19But some customers don't seem to mind.
00:28Some customers say the price hike may not affect people's daily expense as much,
00:33as the chain mostly relies on its brand appeal and long-term patrons.
01:18And it's not just Ding Tai Fong that's raising its prices.
01:21Several local food chains also adjusted their prices earlier in the year,
01:25and the rising cost of ingredients can be filled at neighborhood food stalls too.
01:29One stinky tofu vendor in Hualien in eastern Taiwan says he can't take it anymore.
01:35The consumer price index in Taiwan was up 2.2% year-on-year in May,
01:46passing the inflation-alert threshold.
01:48And food prices alone were up by 1.36%.
02:02With the recent rise in grocery expenses and restaurant costs,
02:06the real test ahead may be for smaller restaurants and vendors
02:09and the everyday customer who rely on them.
02:12Joseph Wu and Irene Lin for Taiwan Plus.
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