The Street Food Ripoff
Discussion
Maybe I'm getting grumpier in my 30's but is it just me that thinks these street food places are taking the 'p' these days?
I love nothing better then trying street food abroad especially in Asia. The food tastes amazing, it's value for money and you get to try so many types of different street food with the cost a fraction of what you would pay in a restaurant.
In the UK it's just a complete rip off. Just got back from a street food 'festival'....parade a scruffy so called 'trendy' beard, call your stall the 'Burgers Guys' or the 'Gyros man'.and for a so called trendy burger charge £11-13...all the stalls were the same price roughly such as the Jamaican stalls, burger stalls, kebab stalls. All ridiculously overpriced at £11-13 with nowhere to sit...people absolutely flock to these places and seem happy to pay these prices. I had no choice as was with the wife and friends so would have looked a right moody git otherwise. For just a little bit more or even the same price though could have went to a nice restaurant and actually sat and enjoyed a decent meal for the same price.
Am I the only one who doesn't get this street food fad in the UK and thinks we are all being royalty ripped off?
I love nothing better then trying street food abroad especially in Asia. The food tastes amazing, it's value for money and you get to try so many types of different street food with the cost a fraction of what you would pay in a restaurant.
In the UK it's just a complete rip off. Just got back from a street food 'festival'....parade a scruffy so called 'trendy' beard, call your stall the 'Burgers Guys' or the 'Gyros man'.and for a so called trendy burger charge £11-13...all the stalls were the same price roughly such as the Jamaican stalls, burger stalls, kebab stalls. All ridiculously overpriced at £11-13 with nowhere to sit...people absolutely flock to these places and seem happy to pay these prices. I had no choice as was with the wife and friends so would have looked a right moody git otherwise. For just a little bit more or even the same price though could have went to a nice restaurant and actually sat and enjoyed a decent meal for the same price.
Am I the only one who doesn't get this street food fad in the UK and thinks we are all being royalty ripped off?
Edited by donnie85 on Saturday 28th May 16:44
Whilst I don’t disagree that £11 - £13 is a bit of money your kidding yourself if you think that food served in a restaurant would cost the same.
Prices have shot up in recent times.
The price will be a by product of the cost ingredients that have gone up, the undoubtedly high cost of stall and the fact there’s a large audience who accept the prices.
Prices have shot up in recent times.
The price will be a by product of the cost ingredients that have gone up, the undoubtedly high cost of stall and the fact there’s a large audience who accept the prices.
donnie85 said:
Maybe I'm getting grumpier in my 30's but is it just me that thinks these street food places are taking the 'p' these days?
I love nothing better then trying street food abroad especially in Asia. The food tastes amazing, it's value for money and you get to try so many types of different street food with the cost a fraction of what you would pay in a restaurant.
In the UK it's just a complete rip off. Just got back from a street food 'festival'....parade a scruffy so called 'trendy' beard, call your stall the 'Burgers Guys' or the 'Gyros man'.and for a so called trendy burger charge 11-13...all the stalls were the same price roughly such as the Jamaican stalls, burger stalls, kebab stalls. All ridiculously overpriced at 11-13 with nowhere to sit...people absolutely flock to these places and seem happy to pay these prices. I had no choice as was with the wife and friends so would have looked a right moody git otherwise. For just a little bit more or even the same price though could have went to a nice restaurant and actually sat and enjoyed a decent meal for the same price.
Am I the only one who doesn't get this street food fad in the UK and thinks we are all being royalty ripped off?
Where can you get a decent sit down meal for £11-13??I love nothing better then trying street food abroad especially in Asia. The food tastes amazing, it's value for money and you get to try so many types of different street food with the cost a fraction of what you would pay in a restaurant.
In the UK it's just a complete rip off. Just got back from a street food 'festival'....parade a scruffy so called 'trendy' beard, call your stall the 'Burgers Guys' or the 'Gyros man'.and for a so called trendy burger charge 11-13...all the stalls were the same price roughly such as the Jamaican stalls, burger stalls, kebab stalls. All ridiculously overpriced at 11-13 with nowhere to sit...people absolutely flock to these places and seem happy to pay these prices. I had no choice as was with the wife and friends so would have looked a right moody git otherwise. For just a little bit more or even the same price though could have went to a nice restaurant and actually sat and enjoyed a decent meal for the same price.
Am I the only one who doesn't get this street food fad in the UK and thinks we are all being royalty ripped off?
Edited by donnie85 on Saturday 28th May 16:44
The closest you can get to Street Food in the UK is eating an in-date sandwich from a bin at the back of M&S.CooperS said:
Whilst I don’t disagree that 11 - 13 is a bit of money your kidding yourself if you think that food served in a restaurant would cost the same.
Prices have shot up in recent times.
The price will be a by product of the cost ingredients that have gone up, the undoubtedly high cost of stall and the fact there’s a large audience who accept the prices.
Exactly , most main courses are starting around £18-£20 now plus theres the service fee that seems to of become normal nationwide now.Prices have shot up in recent times.
The price will be a by product of the cost ingredients that have gone up, the undoubtedly high cost of stall and the fact there’s a large audience who accept the prices.
I regularly eat from the street food market in Goulston St, London (which I think is also known as Petticoat Lane market) and a burger does not cost £11-£13, even though most of the clientele are wearing suits and it's a 5 minute walk from the City. You can get a generous (and very good) lunch from there and comfortably come back with change from a tenner.
The satay stall is probably my favourite, go for the half and half of red chicken curry and chicken satay, it's delicious. £8 I think it costs, but I haven't been for 2-3 weeks. The falafel wrap stall is also good (they do chicken ones too), as is the Katsu Wrap stall with the crazy Asian lady who yells instructions like Gordon Ramsey. If you want a burger, there's often a stall doing Moroccan lamb burgers - generous and fantastic, a real treat. You'll get change from a tenner from all of them. It's not as busy as it was 3 years ago, when there were usually about 20 stalls there, but they are slowly coming back especially on Tue-Thu when the surrounding offices are much busier.
The satay stall is probably my favourite, go for the half and half of red chicken curry and chicken satay, it's delicious. £8 I think it costs, but I haven't been for 2-3 weeks. The falafel wrap stall is also good (they do chicken ones too), as is the Katsu Wrap stall with the crazy Asian lady who yells instructions like Gordon Ramsey. If you want a burger, there's often a stall doing Moroccan lamb burgers - generous and fantastic, a real treat. You'll get change from a tenner from all of them. It's not as busy as it was 3 years ago, when there were usually about 20 stalls there, but they are slowly coming back especially on Tue-Thu when the surrounding offices are much busier.
ecsrobin said:
donnie85 said:
Maybe I'm getting grumpier in my 30's but is it just me that thinks these street food places are taking the 'p' these days?
I love nothing better then trying street food abroad especially in Asia. The food tastes amazing, it's value for money and you get to try so many types of different street food with the cost a fraction of what you would pay in a restaurant.
In the UK it's just a complete rip off. Just got back from a street food 'festival'....parade a scruffy so called 'trendy' beard, call your stall the 'Burgers Guys' or the 'Gyros man'.and for a so called trendy burger charge 11-13...all the stalls were the same price roughly such as the Jamaican stalls, burger stalls, kebab stalls. All ridiculously overpriced at 11-13 with nowhere to sit...people absolutely flock to these places and seem happy to pay these prices. I had no choice as was with the wife and friends so would have looked a right moody git otherwise. For just a little bit more or even the same price though could have went to a nice restaurant and actually sat and enjoyed a decent meal for the same price.
Am I the only one who doesn't get this street food fad in the UK and thinks we are all being royalty ripped off?
Where can you get a decent sit down meal for 11-13??I love nothing better then trying street food abroad especially in Asia. The food tastes amazing, it's value for money and you get to try so many types of different street food with the cost a fraction of what you would pay in a restaurant.
In the UK it's just a complete rip off. Just got back from a street food 'festival'....parade a scruffy so called 'trendy' beard, call your stall the 'Burgers Guys' or the 'Gyros man'.and for a so called trendy burger charge 11-13...all the stalls were the same price roughly such as the Jamaican stalls, burger stalls, kebab stalls. All ridiculously overpriced at 11-13 with nowhere to sit...people absolutely flock to these places and seem happy to pay these prices. I had no choice as was with the wife and friends so would have looked a right moody git otherwise. For just a little bit more or even the same price though could have went to a nice restaurant and actually sat and enjoyed a decent meal for the same price.
Am I the only one who doesn't get this street food fad in the UK and thinks we are all being royalty ripped off?
Edited by donnie85 on Saturday 28th May 16:44
I would genuinely prefer to skip a meal than eat there. Absolutely horrid!!
dirky dirk said:
Artisan or craft are the new buzzwords for food
Used to be “superfoods”
Indeed.Used to be “superfoods”
Buy a pub, paint it grey, big chalkboard out the front advertising:
Local micro brewery support
Craft ales
Smokehouse burgers
artisan this
artisan home made that.
Because thats what Brake Bros trending product lines are.
Spare tyre said:
ecsrobin said:
donnie85 said:
Maybe I'm getting grumpier in my 30's but is it just me that thinks these street food places are taking the 'p' these days?
I love nothing better then trying street food abroad especially in Asia. The food tastes amazing, it's value for money and you get to try so many types of different street food with the cost a fraction of what you would pay in a restaurant.
In the UK it's just a complete rip off. Just got back from a street food 'festival'....parade a scruffy so called 'trendy' beard, call your stall the 'Burgers Guys' or the 'Gyros man'.and for a so called trendy burger charge 11-13...all the stalls were the same price roughly such as the Jamaican stalls, burger stalls, kebab stalls. All ridiculously overpriced at 11-13 with nowhere to sit...people absolutely flock to these places and seem happy to pay these prices. I had no choice as was with the wife and friends so would have looked a right moody git otherwise. For just a little bit more or even the same price though could have went to a nice restaurant and actually sat and enjoyed a decent meal for the same price.
Am I the only one who doesn't get this street food fad in the UK and thinks we are all being royalty ripped off?
Where can you get a decent sit down meal for 11-13??I love nothing better then trying street food abroad especially in Asia. The food tastes amazing, it's value for money and you get to try so many types of different street food with the cost a fraction of what you would pay in a restaurant.
In the UK it's just a complete rip off. Just got back from a street food 'festival'....parade a scruffy so called 'trendy' beard, call your stall the 'Burgers Guys' or the 'Gyros man'.and for a so called trendy burger charge 11-13...all the stalls were the same price roughly such as the Jamaican stalls, burger stalls, kebab stalls. All ridiculously overpriced at 11-13 with nowhere to sit...people absolutely flock to these places and seem happy to pay these prices. I had no choice as was with the wife and friends so would have looked a right moody git otherwise. For just a little bit more or even the same price though could have went to a nice restaurant and actually sat and enjoyed a decent meal for the same price.
Am I the only one who doesn't get this street food fad in the UK and thinks we are all being royalty ripped off?
Edited by donnie85 on Saturday 28th May 16:44
I would genuinely prefer to skip a meal than eat there. Absolutely horrid!!
ecsrobin said:
Where can you get a decent sit down meal for 11-13??
Auckland is not a cheap place to live but there are lots of Asian restaurants that serve really good food for about £8. My favourite is a place that does hand pulled beef noodles and a Japanese where you can get a big plate of beer curry and rice for £7.50. When I'm in London for work we often get street food lunches (around Victoria and Westminster) and it's usually between 7 and 9 quid and it's bloody lovely, big amount of food and lots of flavour from one of the markets.
I then often go a small Italian in Westminster and get a pizza and a pint for about £14 and it's really nice pizza - proper rustic Italian.
As always, there is deals to be had. When visiting a city as a tourist I often prefer eating and walking so would pay for good street food so I could keep enjoying the city
I then often go a small Italian in Westminster and get a pizza and a pint for about £14 and it's really nice pizza - proper rustic Italian.
As always, there is deals to be had. When visiting a city as a tourist I often prefer eating and walking so would pay for good street food so I could keep enjoying the city
mikey_b said:
I regularly eat from the street food market in Goulston St, London (which I think is also known as Petticoat Lane market) and a burger does not cost 11- 13, even though most of the clientele are wearing suits and it's a 5 minute walk from the City. You can get a generous (and very good) lunch from there and comfortably come back with change from a tenner.
The satay stall is probably my favourite, go for the half and half of red chicken curry and chicken satay, it's delicious. 8 I think it costs, but I haven't been for 2-3 weeks. The falafel wrap stall is also good (they do chicken ones too), as is the Katsu Wrap stall with the crazy Asian lady who yells instructions like Gordon Ramsey. If you want a burger, there's often a stall doing Moroccan lamb burgers - generous and fantastic, a real treat. You'll get change from a tenner from all of them. It's not as busy as it was 3 years ago, when there were usually about 20 stalls there, but they are slowly coming back especially on Tue-Thu when the surrounding offices are much busier.
Good to hear it's grown and a lot better than it used to be, though it was 10-11 years back when I stopped working in the Aldgate area. BTW - Middlesex St is Petty Coat Lane - though only on Sundays while the market is open.The satay stall is probably my favourite, go for the half and half of red chicken curry and chicken satay, it's delicious. 8 I think it costs, but I haven't been for 2-3 weeks. The falafel wrap stall is also good (they do chicken ones too), as is the Katsu Wrap stall with the crazy Asian lady who yells instructions like Gordon Ramsey. If you want a burger, there's often a stall doing Moroccan lamb burgers - generous and fantastic, a real treat. You'll get change from a tenner from all of them. It's not as busy as it was 3 years ago, when there were usually about 20 stalls there, but they are slowly coming back especially on Tue-Thu when the surrounding offices are much busier.
I'm another surprised at seeing street food at >£10 - suppose it might depend on where you are. There is regular street food in Watford as an extension of the market food area - normally a half dozen+ stalls on the high street. You're generally talking £6-8 there.
How about this approach:
If you like the look of what's on offer and the price it's being sold for - you buy it, try it and then make your mind up.
If you don't like the look of what's on offer, or the price it's being sold for, you move on and get your lunch from somewhere else.
If you arrange to meet some people somewhere before you've figured out whether or not the food meets your specific requirements, then you've only got yourself to blame.
Seriously - street food can be fantastic - or it can be horrendous - like pretty much any place where you can buy food across the globe. Take a punt, get it wrong and it's no fun. Take a punt, get it right, and you think you've hit on the answer.
If you like the look of what's on offer and the price it's being sold for - you buy it, try it and then make your mind up.
If you don't like the look of what's on offer, or the price it's being sold for, you move on and get your lunch from somewhere else.
If you arrange to meet some people somewhere before you've figured out whether or not the food meets your specific requirements, then you've only got yourself to blame.
Seriously - street food can be fantastic - or it can be horrendous - like pretty much any place where you can buy food across the globe. Take a punt, get it wrong and it's no fun. Take a punt, get it right, and you think you've hit on the answer.
Skeptisk said:
ecsrobin said:
Where can you get a decent sit down meal for 11-13??
Auckland is not a cheap place to live but there are lots of Asian restaurants that serve really good food for about 8. My favourite is a place that does hand pulled beef noodles and a Japanese where you can get a big plate of beer curry and rice for 7.50. Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff