Tomato Tariffs Threaten Free Chips and Salsa at Restaurants

Free chips and salsa could become the next casualty of the trade war, per KERA News. The Trump administration imposed a 17 percent tariff on Mexican tomatoes in July 2025 after withdrawing from the Tomato Suspension Agreement. Mexico supplies roughly 90 percent of US tomato imports, worth more than $3 billion, according to Texas A&M. Bad weather in Mexico and Florida then squeezed supplies, pushing tomato prices to about $80 a box, a 20-year high, said Dante Galeazzi of the Texas International Produce Association. Some grocery stores stopped carrying tomatoes entirely in late April and May. Restaurants held out longer, but with overall food costs up roughly 35 percent over two years, some Texas spots now charge up to $5.25 for a basket of chips and salsa, per Texas Monthly.