Lettuce prices spike amid shortage, some restaurants pull greens off menus

The cost of lettuce is spiking amid a shortage that's leading some restaurants to temporarily stop offering leafy greens on their menus.

Wholesale produce distributors say demand is exceeding supply of iceberg and romaine lettuce, and pricing pressures are expected to continue throughout the month.

Restaurants Canada COO Kelly Higginson said a major lettuce-growing area in California was hit by some kind of virus, after a year that's already been rife with difficulties thanks to heat and drought.

"That particular area has had crops decimated. So there's a massive shortage," said Higginson.