Breakfast at Udipis now 25% costlier Rising veggies and gas cylinder prices affect menu rates

Breakfast at Udipis now 25% costlier

Rising veggies and gas cylinder prices affect menu rates

Thanks to inflation, relishing your favourite snacks at Udipi outlets has become a costlier affair by at least 15-25% from this month. To add to the price quotient, the water charges hike proposed by the BMC in the budget is likely to escalate the rates, pinching pockets of food lovers further. Even as escalating prices have Mumbaikars thinking twice before eating out, restaurateurs fear the hike in rates may affect businesses at Udipi outlets too. “Gas cylinder prices have doubled since last year. Prices of vegetables, grains and cereals are also rising. Shortage of labour has also been a worrying factor impelling owners to consider a hike in food prices,” said Sudhakar Shetty, president of Ahar, an association of hoteliers and restaurateurs. He hinted that a shortage of labourers causes an indirect hike in prices as hoteliers end up paying more to their existing staff. Shetty claimed that 90% of the city outlet owners have not rolled out the hike for consumers. Another city-based hotelier said the hike proposed in water charges by BMC will influence the price index further, if executed. “Already commercial unit owners are paying eight times the domestic rates for water, which is not a case with roadside eateries. If the proposal becomes effective, restaurateurs will have no option but to increase rates on menus even as we will lose competition to cart owners,” he added. The situation is similar in Navi Mumbai. “A 19kg gas cylinder cost Rs700 until last year. Now, it costs Rs1,850. We would buy milk for Rs34 per litre. Now, It costs Rs46 per litre. A hike in food cost has already been implemented here,” said a Navi Mumbai restaurateur. But, Mahadev Raut, a wholesale trader from the APMC market, believes the hike in menu prices can’t be attributed to the prices of onions and potatoes — used in large quantities by hoteliers. “There have been occasional jerks in the prices of onions and potatoes. But now, onions are being sold at Rs 5-6 per kg, while potatoes are at Rs 10-12 in APMC. So, where is the inflation?”