'Costly Roadside Eateries Up Non-Veg Prices' In Chennai

By Rambo Muneeb / Chennai

The rise in price of non-vegetarian items in the past week has now resulted in some small food joints and hotels increasing the cost of food items and some even cutting on the quantity served, leaving customers to bear the brunt.

Retail rates of chicken shot up after the producers cut down supply claiming that their production rates have gone up. Subsequently, mutton rates too went up, followed by some varieties of fishes that are being sold at a price much higher than the cost at which they were sold before the 45-day ban.
The price rise has not just impacted the sale of these items in the retail market, but has also left some small eateries with no other choice but to increase the rates of their food items for a good profit. “Earlier, we sold a quarter plate of chicken biryani for Rs 45. Now we have increased it by Rs 5 as chicken rates have gone up considerably. A half plate has gone up from Rs 90 to Rs 100 and for one full plate, we now charge Rs 200 from Rs 180 that it was before. 

Overall, we get about a 30 to 40 per cent profit on our investment,” said Mohammad Iqbal, who runs a biryani shop near the Tondiarpet bus stand. “We cannot compromise on the quality or quantity, so we have increased the price,” he added.Ashok, who runs an eatery in Egmore, has not just increased the price of non-vegetarian items, but has also reduced the quantity to maintain the profit margin. He said customers do not mind spending a little more for the quality food his hotel offers.

 “For items like chicken or mutton briyani, we only cut the amount of rice we serve and not the meat pieces. In side dishes and curries, we serve the same quantity as before but at an increased price.  We have increased the price for a plate of biryani anywhere between Rs 5 and Rs 15, and for other curries from Rs 10 to Rs 20,” he explained. 

A popular air-conditioned hotel on Cross Road, New Washermenpet, has also marginally increased the prices anywhere between Rs 5 and Rs 20. “There’s no change in the number of customers we get even after the price rise. This only shows that people do not mind buying good quality food even if it costs more,” a cashier at the hotel said.

Small eateries and hotels have confidently increased the prices knowing that they would still make good sales. However, those that sell non-vegetarian items in pushcarts have simply cut down on the quantity served instead of increasing the rates, as they fear losing customers. Sunil, a wayside eatery owner near Thousand Lights said: “I sell chicken at `60 and items like chilly chicken at Rs 70. I continue to sell at the same price but the quantity is little less.” One of his employees added, “We ourselves have cut down on the purchase of chicken. Earlier we bought about 60 kilos a day, now we buy only half of that.”