Went to local deli Chompies for the last time – sadly. I ‘celebrated’ the moment with a last bowl of matzo ball noodle soup, the best in Arizona. Matter of fact, this is one awesome deli; I’ve been frequenting it for twenty-five years. What stopped me in my tracks was their most recent price increase. A pastrami sandwich and coleslaw went from $9.95 to $11.95, but that’s not all, the fries that used to come with that combo have been stripped from the order and now will cost an additional $2.95. The lunch I used to buy for $9.95 is now $14.90 – a 50% increase. I asked management about this seemingly extravagant new pricing and was told with a straight face, “Fuel Costs are Climbing”. Assuming their product comes from 3,000 miles away, and the vehicle uses special deli fuel that costs $300 a gallon or a regular truck commutes from 30,000 miles away there is no way the rising price of gasoline has added more than a few cents per pound in the delivery of their raw materials to justify a 50% spike. So, goodbye Chompies; it is now cheaper for me to drive to Lee’s Sandwiches 27 miles away for one of their 10-inch Vietnamese sandwiches for $2.50 each.