Coney dogs aren't safe from inflation

Our beloved coney dog is not inflation-proof. Prices are rising for the iconic Detroit staple as restaurants grapple with increasing costs for ingredients.

What's happening: After charging 99 cents for 17 years, Grandy’s Coney Island at Fenkell Avenue and Lahser Road increased its coney price a few months ago to $1.10, owner Gus Jaku tells Axios.

• "Everything went up — chili, the bread, everything," Jaku explains.
• Even after the increase, the coney price at Grandy’s was the cheapest we found across 10 diners we visited.

The big picture: Neighborhood spots we checked out mostly charge under $3.

• The Detroit coney is amazingly consistent – chili, mustard and chopped onions over a hot dog and a bun. The ingredients were the same no matter where we went.
• Yes, but: There can be slight variations. Grandy’s, for example, charges $2.59 for an all-beef coney. That $1.10 price is for a beef-pork hybrid.

Zoom in: Downtown coneys were the most expensive we found — and prices are rising there, too.

• Lafayette Coney Island charges $3.50 per coney, and the price at neighboring American Coney Island is $3.45.
• American Coney Island owner Grace Keros echoed others, citing increasing supplier costs for the 10-cent increase to $3.45 just before Thanksgiving.
• Her customers haven’t complained; they’re paying more at grocery stores, too, Keros tells Axios.