Shelves were stripped bare of standard bags of rice in several grocery stores over the weekend by consumers fearing a shortage.

Store officials said shipments were due today that would restock shelves that had been depleted in Sack 'N Save and Foodland stores in Kona, Dillingham and Nanakuli, and at the Costco warehouse in Iwilei. The Safeway store on the Pali Highway also had empty rice shelves yesterday.

Sheryl Toda, Foodland Super Market Ltd. spokeswoman, said the last time that she remembers shoppers being this frantic was in 1999 during a dockworker slowdown, when rice, milk, toilet paper and other essentials flew off the shelves.

At Costco in Iwilei, a knot of shoppers looked in awe yesterday at the six empty shelving bays where pallets of rice normally are stocked. A store manager said the store expected a shipment today.

"Some of our stores did sell out of Calrose rice over the weekend," said Foodland's Toda. "We get a new shipment in today, so we'll be fully stocked by the end of the day. We do not have a shortage of Calrose rice." Medium-grain Calrose is the most popular variety here.

Globally, a run on food has led to shortages and riots from Egypt to Haiti in recent weeks. But last week, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said there was no shortage in the United States.

However, some stores have restricted customers' purchases of rice.

Sam's Club outlet's in Hawai'i and on the Mainland are limiting customers to four 20-pound bags of imported jasmine, basmati and long-grain white rices.

Toni Chun, a Nu'uanu resident, said her parents have about 60 pounds on hand and continue to urge her to pick up extra bags.

"They have enough to feed the entire neighborhood," said Chun outside the Pali Safeway. "They do eat a lot of rice. But I don't eat as much rice as they do. It's a generational thing."

Consumers tend to stock up when demand peaks, said University of Hawai'i marketing professor Dana Alden. They act when there's a risk of a restricted supply.

With two scoops for every plate lunch, restaurant chain L & L Drive-Inn goes through a lot of rice, but president Eddie Flores said there's no way L&L would ever consider cutting the amount of rice served per plate.

He said only a fraction of the increased price of rice has been passed on to customers.

"Basically, the entire food industry has been hit with food prices going up, but what we charge hasn't gone up very much," Flores said. "It's very difficult. Hopefully, everything will settle down in a year."