Increased cost of supplies appears on local fish fry menus
Observer-Reporter
Increased costs of everything from fish and shrimp to take-out containers will likely drive up the cost of fish sandwiches sold at area fish fries this Lenten season.
Observer-Reporter
Jim McClory checks on a batch of baked fish at Our Lady of Miraculous Medal’s fish fry in Meadow Lands in 2017.
Editor’s note: This story was updated Feb. 9 to correct the location of Immaculate Conception Church in Connellsville and include information for Immaculate Conception in Washington.
The first week of March marks the beginning of a beloved annual tradition, but this year, you may have to shell out a few extra bucks before biting into your Lenten fish fry sandwich.
“We’ve definitely raised prices to reflect the fish going up,” said Barry Nelson, financial secretary of St. Ann’s Knights of Columbus.
“We made one check on fish and found out that it was going up $2 a pound. We raised all our prices across the board.”
The Knights of Columbus’s annual fundraiser, which makes up about one-third of the general budget, benefits the organization, and funds are allocated as needed to the four churches that make up St. Matthias Parish in Greene County.
“Last year, we were canceled all across the board,” said Nelson. “Talking to people around town, they are looking forward to it.”
Nelson hopes customers won’t be put off by increased menu prices, especially since St. Matthias Parish isn’t the only local organization upping the cost of a fish fry dinner. Skyrocketing inflation has increased costs of everything from fish and shrimp to take-out containers, and supply chain issues make some staples hard to come by.
“I don’t know about French fries,” said Nelson. “I’m not sure.”
Because fish fries are many churches’ largest fundraiser, prices this year are being raised to meet parish needs.
“Father told me, if we’re going to try to make any money, we should raise (the fish sandwich) to $12,” said Mary Lazor, who spearheads the annual fish fry at Immaculate Conception in Connellsville.
“Last year, we made a couple thousand dollars. If I pay my bills, I’m happy,” Lazor said, noting the fish fry and nut roll sales on Palm Sunday and Thanksgiving are the church’s biggest fundraisers. “God always provides. We didn’t go in the hole.”
Neither did St. Oscar Romero parish, which includes Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (a four-year Observer-Reporter Best Fish Fry – Church winner) and St. Patrick’s churches in Washington County.
“St. Patrick’s – quite frankly, they had their best season ever” last year, said Lou Daddea, who helps organize the parish fish fries.
But, like St. Ann’s and Immaculate Conception, the parish is reworking its menu.
“We’ve seen costs increase as we prepare for this year. We’ll have to adjust our menu a bit, in terms of prices to the customer,” Daddea said. “But I will say … we are also pushing harder this year on sponsorships. If we can offset some of the costs with a sponsorship, then we won’t have to change too much on the menu.”
Daddea said St. Oscar Romero is unique in offering lobster rolls and crab cakes, two pricey items he wants to continue serving customers. He’s hoping the parish can lock in a few more sponsors before March.
St. James Parish will also host a fish fry at the Immaculate Conception Church in Washington. James Weaver, John F. Kennedy Catholic School fundraising chairman, said the church has not set prices for the annual event.
The Smock Volunteer Fire Department in Fayette County doesn’t have sponsors for its fish fry, but assistant Chief Neil Kelly said this year’s fundraiser, which begins Ash Wednesday, should be business as usual.
“We’re always concerned with what’re you gonna do. We can’t afford to not have it,” he said. “It doesn’t do that well but it makes a little bit of money. The community enjoys it, so we keep doing it.”
Kelly is hopeful for a good turnout this year, considering folks are eager to return to some sense of normalcy.
“We appreciate everybody’s business in the past, everybody’s support through the pandemic,” he said.
While Smock VFD is offering its staples – fish sandwiches and sides – the Charleroi Fire Department in Washington County is serving up Lenten fish fries with a saucy twist.
“We’ve always done a pizza night for events like the Super Bowl,” said Capt. Matt Prentice. “There’s just so many fish fries around the area, we’re trying to change it up and we’re going to do pizza sales on Fridays through Lent. We’ve done random pizza nights throughout the year, but this is the first time we’re doing pizza all through Lent.”
Prentice said the department will offer plain, pepperoni and white pizzas.
“It’s that real thick pizza that you cut in squares,” Prentice said. “It’s really good.”
The Richhill Volunteer Fire Department in Greene County is sticking with its traditional Lenten fish fry, but chief Dave Pohill isn’t yet sure what prices will look like this year.
“We haven’t even gotten that far,” he said. “We’re trying to get vendors to come in and meet with us.”
Pohill said the department hosts a number of fundraisers each year, and though he expects a slight increase in fish fry menu prices this year, he’s hoping the increase won’t be substantial.
Before increased prices posed a problem to fish fries, local organizations had to get creative with meal distribution during the pandemic.
“Last year was the first year we had an online ordering system,” said Daddea. “That really enabled us to do the business that we did. We’re going to use that again this year.”
Daddea said technology has afforded volunteer-run fish fries like those at St. Patrick’s and Miraculous Medal to handle the volume of orders placed each Friday in Lent. He also noted that St. Patrick’s will again be take-out only.
“Last year, when we were doing this, it was pre-vaccine so there was a need for social distancing,” he said.
Most other fish fries transitioned to take-out only during the pandemic, but this year, they’re reopening cafeterias for dine-in eating.
While Immaculate Conception will welcome guests inside, folks are encouraged to enjoy dinner at home.
“Some of the older women (are) in their 80s. The one lady’s in her 90s,” said Lazor. “I would feel so guilty if one of those ladies got sick.”
While organizations around Washington, Greene and Fayette counties work to finalize menus and prices, all are looking forward to a successful fundraising season.
“We never really know what to expect the past two years,” said Daddea. “This year I’m kind of excited for it to be closer to normal, just because people are back out at restaurants, people are back to church.”
Added Lazor: “I just hope people come and support us. We’ll do our best.”
Staff writer Paul Paterra contributed to this reporting.