Cardi B is right — eating at home doesn't save you as much money as it used to

• Cardi B tweeted Tuesday about the high price of groceries compared to restaurants.
• Grocery prices are rising faster than restaurant prices at the highest rates since the 1970s.

Singer Cardi B tweeted about rising grocery prices on January 3, saying "Naaaaaa grocery shopping prices are ridiculous right now. You might as well eat outside !!"

The Grammy winner followed up with another tweet specifically lamenting the price of lettuce.

Grocery prices have risen faster relative to restaurant prices. Prices for food at home, which includes groceries, were up 12% in November 2022 over the previous year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Food away from home prices rose more slowly over the same period, up 8.5% year-over-year. The difference between the two has been large throughout 2022, making it the biggest disparity since the 1970s.

Certain grocery items have grown in price even more. Lettuce, which Cardi B mentioned, was up 8.9% between October and November 2022. Eggs are up over 49% year-over-year, margarine is up 47%, flour at nearly 25%, and milk about 14%, per the same data.

Restaurants comparatively seem like a better deal than ever, with full-service meals up 9% and limited-service meals, including fast food, up just 6.7%, lower than the overall inflation rate of 7.1%

Plenty of consumers are thinking along the same lines as Cardi B, turning to restaurants as grocery prices skyrocket. In November, restaurants had their highest-ever percentage of market share compared to grocery stores at 55.2%, according to government data. That number is likely to grow even large in the next year, based on a research note from analysis firm Kalinowski Equity Associates viewed by Insider.

"The restaurant industry continues to gain market share despite significantly higher menu prices, showing that consumers, in general, seem to realize that grocery prices are also up rather massively, and acting accordingly," the note says.

Fast food chains are playing into their perceived value over home-cooked meals, with promotions like the $2 value menu at Taco Bell and giving rewards members more coupons and redemption options.

Do you have a story to share about a retail or restaurant chain? Email this reporter at mmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com.