When I recently posted my latest impressions of Wusong Road, there were some who were adamantly against paying a $50 for Pu Pu Platter for Two. I've seen this attitude frequently over the years, as Chinese cuisine is often viewed as a "cheap" cuisine, and many people don't want to pay high prices for it. Other ethnic foods or specific dishes, from burgers to pizza, are also often seen this same way, that prices should be low and that there's no reason to pay a higher price.
In general, restaurants operate on very small profit margins. That's a fact that many people need to understand. Their menu prices are not intended to gouge your wallet but rather to support the functioning of the restaurant, to pay the bills, to pay their employees, and to hopefully give at least a small profit to the owner. Those are the same basic objectives of any for-profit business.
Some people seem to believe that if they can find a food item for a cheap price somewhere, that the same item should be priced similarly everywhere. However, just because you might be able to get a cheeseburger for $5.00 at a large chain restaurant doesn't mean all restaurants should charge that price. There are numerous factors to consider in evaluating the price of a burger and whether it's reasonable or not. The same applies to Chinese Pu Pu platters, and Chinese food in general, as well.
For example, what is the cost of their ingredients? Are they using lesser quality ingredients? Or are they using higher quality ingredients, so their costs are higher and they have to raise their prices. Would you rather that they used cheaper, lesser quality ingredients? Consider that food ingredients are more expensive nowadays. Anyone who has recently gone to the grocery store should understand that. So, restaurants are paying more for their ingredients and generally need to raise prices. If the price you pay for a Pu Pu platter is still very low, then what quality of ingredients must they be using? You should definitely ponder over that matter.
In addition, how much work goes into the preparation of the foods on the Pu Pu platter? Were they pre-prepared, in large quantities, or are they made fresh for each order? Are the foods on the platter the usual Chinese appetizers, or are they inventive variations? Is the restaurant a small hole-in-the-wall that only offers take-out (and thus has less overhead) or is it a sit-down restaurant with various servers?
Wusong Road, a sit-down restaurant and tiki bar, charges $50 for their Pu Pu Platter, but they use higher quality ingredients, and the food items are fresh, tasty and inventive. I consider the price reasonable for what you receive. In comparison, at the famed Kowloon, their basic Peninsular Pu Pu Platter is $37.95, but it's $47.50 with Beef Teriyaki. Wusong Road's price isn't that much different, but I don't often hear complaints about Kowloon's Pu Pu platters prices. Why is that so? In addition, the quality of the food at the Kowloon is inconsistent, so you may be paying that much for a lower quality experience.
At other Chinese restaurants, you may find a Pu Pu platter for two people for $26-$30, so does that mean the Kowloon is too expensive?
Consumers need to start paying the true value of the food they consume. They shouldn't expect that certain types of food must always be cheap. Would you be happy charging the lowest price in the market for your own services or products? Stop complaining about the prices of Chinese food and care more about the quality and taste. Don't have a knee-jerk reaction to higher price Chinese food, and actually try to understand the reasons for the price.
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