Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia \u2013 Warteg vendors are increasingly concerned\nabout the impact of rising food prices and declining consumer purchasing\npower. CNBC Indonesia\u2019s observations in Senen, Central Jakarta, show\nseveral vendors reporting customers reducing meat and side dishes due to\nhigher food prices.<\/p>\n
Amirah, one vendor, confirmed the trend, stating that her customers\nnow predominantly buy side dishes under Rp15,000\u201320,000, such as tempeh,\ntofu, balado eggs, and fried snacks, while increasing vegetable\nconsumption. Meanwhile, dishes like fried chicken, beef rendang, beef\nstew, black squid, and shrimp (fried or balado) are being purchased less\nfrequently.<\/p>\n
\u2018Yes, that\u2019s correct\u2014customers are now cutting back on fried chicken\nor beef, opting instead for balado eggs, tempeh, tofu, vegetables, and\nfried snacks,\u2019 Amirah told CNBC Indonesia on Saturday (30 May 2026).<\/p>\n
Customers are now ordering warteg meals for around Rp10,000, with\nthose spending over Rp20,000 becoming increasingly rare. As a result,\nshe has stopped selling side dishes priced above Rp20,000.<\/p>\n
\u2018Currently, many customers order meals for around Rp10,000, with\nthose spending over Rp20,000 becoming rare. I\u2019ve stopped selling side\ndishes priced above Rp20,000,\u2019 she added.<\/p>\n
Similarly, another warteg vendor, Kusuma, noted a shift in customer\norders, with rendang and shrimp dishes seeing reduced demand.<\/p>\n
\u2018True, most customers now order side dishes like vegetable and\ntempeh, fried tofu, potato croquettes, and fried potatoes\u2014all around\nRp10,000,\u2019 Kusuma said.<\/p>\n
In fact, he has stopped selling shrimp dishes entirely due to\ndeclining demand, though fried chicken remains available.<\/p>\n
\u2018Shrimp is relatively expensive; even with rice, it doesn\u2019t reach\nRp20,000, but without vegetables and sambal, it\u2019s less appetising. So\npeople are cutting back on shrimp,\u2019 he explained.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, another vendor, Surono, reported that many customers are\nnow ordering meals priced between Rp10,000 and Rp15,000.<\/p>\n
\u2018With prices rising, people are becoming more selective with their\nside dish choices at wartegs. Typically, offal dishes would sell out\nquickly, but now they often remain unsold until evening\u2014especially\nrendang beef,\u2019 Surono said.<\/p>\n
Surono added that dishes like potato croquettes, fried potatoes,\ntempeh, tofu, and vegetables are now more popular, while fried fish,\nbeef, and shrimp are being ordered less frequently.<\/p>\n
\u2018People want convenient meals but still want rice, and since we don\u2019t\nreduce the rice portion, they\u2019re being more selective with side dishes\nrather than the rice itself\u2014just enough to feel full,\u2019 he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wartegs-show-signs-of-economic-strain-as-customers-cut-back-on-meat-dishes-1780293376", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }