If the price of filling your gas tank is making you cringe these days, get ready for some more pain.

The $4-per-gallon gas era on the Peninsula isn't just going to slam you at the pump — it's pushing prices up on food, wine, flowers, pizza, housecleaning, plumbing, taxis and many other services.

Gas prices hit record levels last month in the San Mateo area — $3.88 per gallon for unleaded, according to the AAA auto club — and they're expected to climb higher in a new report next week.

"Gas is killing us, so we have to figure out a way to cut the expenses for the shop," said Lucy Dul, manager of Burlingame Florist & Gift.

The shop is tacking on a few dollars more for each delivery and "some customers are complaining," Dul said.

"They don't want delivery," she said. "They say it's not worth it, but others just pay."

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Chris Baker of Baker's Chem-Dry in Burlingame is adding a $9.95 fuel charge "on any job."

"It's cutting into the bottom line," said Baker. "We're trying to keep costs down, because we don't want to raise prices again and again."

John Lyons, owner of The Maids housecleaning service in Redwood City, said his monthly gas bill jumped to $1,000 from $700.

"That's a dramatic increase," Lyons said. "We're feeling the pain at the pump, but our supplies are also going up. We don't have a choice."

He added, "I'm working on raising prices, probably

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by 10 percent."

Local pizza parlors also are increasing prices.

"It costs a lot more for deliveries, and the price of wheat and cheese are up," said Peter Cooperstein, president and founder of Amici's East Coast Pizzeria in San Mateo.

Cooperstein boosted pizza prices by 5 percent in January, so he doesn't want to do it again until next year.

"It's costing farmers more to feed their cows, because they're growing more corn for ethanol," said Cooperstein. "They're passing those costs on by raising cheese prices 30 percent."

Grocers are complaining about truckers routinely charging fuel surcharges. That jacks up the cost of goods for grocers, and they're passing it on to consumers.

"Everybody's raising prices — it's crazy," said Steve Tragoutsis, one of the owners of Trag's Market in San Mateo.

He sees fuel surcharges on wine, liquor, wheat and bread. Mainstays such as canned goods, flour, oils — things shipped in by truck — are also getting more expensive, he said.

"It's absolutely got to do with gas," said Tragoutsis. "I often wonder if manufacturers are just jumping on the bandwagon and raising prices."

Gene Takahashi of Takahashi Market in San Mateo said many of his goods arrive as air freight from Hawaii.

"Air freight costs keep rising," said Takahashi. "We have to pass the costs on to customers or we're just breaking even or losing money, and that defeats the purpose of being in business."

One economist thinks small businesses are being careful not to raise prices too much.

"Competition is so severe, they don't dare raise prices that much," said Richard Carlson, economist with Spectrum Economics in Mountain View. "We'll see what the next six months bring."

Angie Hicks, founder of Angie's List, an online group that rates service companies, said consumers should ask companies if the fuel surcharges are going to go away. For example, a plumber who normally charges $60 for a house call may now be charging $75.

"Consumers might want to be more flexible," she said.

That's because companies are re-routing workers to save on gas, which means you may have to wait an extra day or two until they get to your town to get served. Hicks said some companies are eliminating free estimates because of the gas costs to get to the destination.

Atef Abbas, owner of In and Out Plumbing in San Mateo, said he is adding an extra $10 charge to every invoice.

"At that, we're just splitting the bill for the gas with the consumer," Abbas said. "It takes three or four gallons to get most anywhere."

Most taxi drivers are eating the higher cost of driving their cabs, but they're hoping to pass costs on to consumers soon.

"We pay for gas out of our own pocket, so it's like taking a cut in pay," said Bob Fernald, a driver for Luxor Cab Peninsula in San Mateo.

Fernald's boss is preparing to submit a letter to the city of San Mateo seeking higher meter fees. A request to raise fees was denied three years ago, but $4 gas could make for a more persuasive argument this time.

Cabs can now charge $2.50 per mile, but drivers think they need to be able to charge $3 or more.

Russell Fetter, manager of Luxor, said it's hard to hold on to drivers because "it's difficult for them to make a living."

Bakers are also boosting their prices, as delivery and supply costs go up. Elegant Cheese Cakes in Half Moon Bay increased its delivery costs on cakes by $10 to $25, depending on the size of the cake and its destination. If it has to be shipped overnight, that costs even more, because FedEx has raised its rates.

"It's pretty staggering," said owner Susan Morgan, who uses her hybrid Toyota if the deliveries are going to San Francisco or Marin. "Our monthly gas bill went from $300 to $500."

Business writer Tim Simmers can be reached at (650) 348-4361 or tsimmers@bayareanewsgroup.com.