Dining in Denver Is Getting Shockingly Expensive

When was the last time you went out to eat in Denver? If it has been a while, and you are planning to dine in the Mile High City, you might be in for a bit of a shock when you get the bill at the end of the meal.

Dining Out in Denver

It is no surprise that costs over the past decade have risen for pretty much everything, but dining out is not what it once was. Denver might not be known as one of the cities with expensive dining, but it is sure to be shaping up that way.

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When someone thinks of expensive food, the cities that come to mind are usually Los Angeles and New York City. As you can imagine, running a restaurant in one of these two cities can be quite costly.

Denver Restaurants Facing Higher Costs

According to 9News, costs have risen so high nationwide that Denver is considered more costly to operate a restaurant than New York City. Prices on the menus have increased by about 28 since 2019, according to the report.

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The 2025 State of Denver Restaurants Report shows that wages for restaurant and bar employees have more than doubled since 2013, and the non-tipped minimum wage equals 259 percent of the federal rate.

The study also shows that between 2019 and 2024, Denver restaurants would have needed sales growth of around 36-40 percent just to offset rising expenses. However, average sales only increased by about five percent.