Pub is called out for charging an exorbitant price for its chicken parmigiana – but its owner has hit back with a compelling response
A cafe owner has revealed why it’s costing diners a whopping $33 for a chicken parmigiana after customers jacked up the expensive price.
Simone Douglas, who runs the Duke of Brunswick Hotel in Adelaide, uploaded a post to Facebook outlining the costs involved in making the classic dish.
Ms Douglas said that after taking into account the cost of ingredients, staff wages, bills and allowances, her company made a profit of just $2 for every chicken parmi and salad they sell.
“When I broke it down and did the math, I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a lot of work for a $2 profit at the end of the day,’” Ms. Douglas shared. The advertiser.
Customers had left scathing online reviews about the cost of the meal, prompting Ms Douglas to explain why the parmi had a price tag.
She said the cost of running her business has increased 40 percent in the past five years.
‘We’re just happy that we can make a living, no one is getting rich. It’s tiring when people leave one or two star reviews because they think your prices are exorbitantly high,” says Douglas.
“Some customers have quit and say it has nothing to do with our food, service or atmosphere… but they don’t want to come back because it costs $33 for a schnitzel, as if we’re making a fortune off that.”
Adelaide’s Duke of Brunswick Hotel has made headlines for its $33 chicken parmi
Simone Douglas (pictured), who runs the Duke of Brunswick Hotel in Adelaide, said the pub makes very little profit for every chicken parmi they sell to customers
Ms Douglas said not all pubs and hotels are run by larger companies and businesses.
She said family-run pubs like hers cannot rely on gambling facilities in the way other establishments might.
The publican said she hoped customers could show a little kindness to pubs and restaurants as they struggle to keep their doors open during the cost of living crisis.
Previously, Australian diners were left furious by the cost of a ham and cheese sandwich sold for $31.20 in a Perth cafe.
Figures from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission show a record 1,667 food services collapsed in the 12 months to June 30.
Leading Australian business analytics company CreditorWatch has predicted that one in thirteen hospitality businesses will go bankrupt in the coming year.
Meanwhile, pub owners have warned that the average cost of a flat white could rise to $7.
Hospitality companies have considered raising the price of coffee as the cost of living crisis has pushed businesses to the brink of collapse.
Mrs Douglas decided to crunch the numbers and the figures showed that the family business makes just over $2 in profit for every chicken parmi and salad they sell (pictured)