It’s a debate as old as time — how much should you be paying for a big brekkie at a cafe on a weekend? This week, Sydney-based breakfast enthusiast Mark, posted about how he paid $47 for a dish at a cafe. While some people lost their fucking minds, Mark reckons it was absolutely worth it — and he’d fkn do it again.
Mark, who runs the brand Breakfast Shirts and posts reviews of cafes on social media, posted about his experience visiting Pina in Sydney’s Potts Point on Saturday. It’s a popular joint with a reputation for stellar food and a massive line.
After getting a table, Mr Breakfast Shirts ordered a steak and egg dish for $32 and added a hashbrown (non-negotiable, TBH), bacon and avocado, making it $47.50. He then ordered a congee dish to share with his mate and coffees, making the final cost of the meal to be just over $140.
You can check out his experience below.
Punters took to the comments to share their outrage over the skyrocketing Sydney prices.
“$47 is outrageous,” wrote one viewer.
“I’m in Europe at the moment and people warned me about how expensive Europe is. It’s half to a third of the price of Australia,” commented another.
While some people had a conniption about the price, others — including Mark — thought it was fair game.
“People say it’s expensive but consider the massive rent, rates insurances a commercial tenant has including food ad outgoings compared to what you’re paying. I’d say profit for reward would be hard-earned,” commented a TikToker.
“People keep paying the price, so why would they make it cheaper?” said a viewer.
“The team running these venues are such nice and amazing hospitality stars… then the food is good. It’s expensive but it’s with love,” another wrote.
Taking to TikTok, Mark defended Pina and their expensive pricing.
“My stance on it is that, yeah sure, it was probably on the more expensive end in terms of breakfast but it was worth it. Cafes and people doing good food and good shit should charge accordingly. There should be a spectrum over how much you can spend on breakfast,” Mr Breakfast Shirts said.
“As soon as people talk about expensive breakfast it’s like ‘oh that’s such a rip off’ but cafes have got to make money too. I don’t get it.”
Mark explained that the place was packed before and after he got there — and for good reason.
“It’s because they do good shit. It’s because they’re good at their branding. Because they’re in a good location and paying the rent for it. Cafes and business people should be rewarded for being good at business.
“If you can charge more because you offer something good, and you make more money because of that, fucking fair play.”
In an interview with news.com.au, Pina owner Andrew Hardjasudarma echoed Mark’s sentiments.
“We can assure customers what we’ve got is the quality, it’s different than any other cafe,” he said, noting that the steak and egg dish is so popular it sells out most days.
“I know for some it’s expensive. But I have to believe that the quality will tell.”
Well, there you have it. At the end of the day, it’s about how much you feel comfortable spending on a dining experience in this cost-of-living crisis. Whether it’s breakfast or dinner, let’s not forget the work that goes into making quality food and the importance of supporting our small businesses.
