Strange Phenomenon Hits Warteg and Others, Anindya Bakrie's Response is Unexpected

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Economic pressures are beginning to be felt by small business operators in the food and beverage sector. This is evident in the conditions reported by a number of coffee shops (warkop), Tegal food stalls (warteg), and Padang rice stalls, which claim to be experiencing a decline in turnover due to changes in public behaviour as people become increasingly frugal.

Responding to this, the Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), Anindya Novyan Bakrie, views the phenomenon of people becoming more thrifty as a natural occurrence. He explained that amidst the current economic conditions, budget efficiency in spending is extremely important.

“I think if there is a cheaper price, I myself also sometimes want something more efficient because in this day and age, efficiency is very important,” he told reporters in Jakarta on Friday (12/6/2026).

He stated that essentially, as long as typical Indonesian food is tasty and nutritious, the public does not need to choose expensive menu items. This is because not all expensive food has a delicious taste.

“Indonesian food doesn’t need to be expensive, the important thing is that it’s delicious. So buy the cheap one, the expensive one isn’t necessarily tasty, the cheap one is delicious, so it’s already cheap and delicious,” he concluded.