"If Prices Rise, Customers Will Vanish", Warteg Traders Lament Amidst Rising Costs

Several ‘warteg’ (traditional food stall) and restaurant owners in North Jakarta are complaining about declining incomes amidst the rising prices of food ingredients and various business necessities over recent months.

One such owner, Dian (4ly), who operates a restaurant in the Kebon Bawang area, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, stated that shopping costs for business needs have nearly doubled compared to previous periods. According to her, price hikes have affected several food ingredients routinely used for cooking. For instance, mackerel, which previously cost around Rp 5,000 per fish, has now reached Rp 8,000 per fish.

Despite increasing operational costs, Dian admitted she cannot immediately raise the prices of the food she sells. She fears that customers will decrease if menu prices are raised too high. “If it becomes expensive, there won’t be any customers,” she said. “Our income, which usually averages at least Rp 2 million, can drop to just Rp 1.5 million,” Dian added.

A similar complaint was voiced by Ayu (50), a warteg trader in Rawabadak Utara, Koja, North Jakarta. According to her, almost all basic ingredients required for the business have experienced price increases. “If you say it is severe, then it is very severe because everything is rising. All the chillies, all the spices, and basic necessities are all going up,” Ayu told Kompas.com on Tuesday.