Warteg Customers Tighten Belts, Limiting Spending to a Maximum of Rp20,000

Warteg (traditional Javanese food stall) vendors are beginning to feel the impact of recent increases in food ingredient prices. This situation is exacerbated by weakening public purchasing power, which has made consumers increasingly selective in choosing their meals.

Based on observations in the Pasar Minggu area, South Jakarta, several warteg vendors reported a shift in customer consumption patterns. While buyers previously frequently chose higher-priced side dishes, the majority of customers are now switching to more affordable menus.

Adit, an employee at a warteg in the Pasar Minggu area, confirmed this phenomenon. According to him, an increasing number of customers are limiting their meal expenditure to approximately Rp15,000 to Rp20,000 per portion.

Simple menus such as tempeh, tofu, spicy eggs (telur balado), various fried foods, and vegetables have become the primary choices for customers. Conversely, more expensive dishes such as fried chicken, beef rendang, beef stew (semur sapi), squid, and fried or spicy prawns are becoming less popular.

He noted that customers spending more than Rp20,000 for a single meal are becoming increasingly rare. Most customers are now choosing menus priced between Rp10,000 and the mid-teens.