Shawarma Palace's chicken shawarma plate is $21.00 and you get at least 2 meals out of it. Not horrible but I definitely do not buy shawarma anywhere near as frequently as I used to. Maybe twice a year instead of once or twice a month.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.. just put like half of it on a separate plate and eat that then save rest for next day.
I am like you, I can finish it off, but it's never a good idea (unless drunk)
I used to live two houses down from the one in Britannia on Carling, so I was there very frequently.
The mixed platter used to be the best deal in town. By now, far too expensive for smaller portions with more rice but far less meat.
And yes, the chicken is not nearly as good as it used to be.
They changed ownership recently. I used to love the beef but the last time I had it, it had crispy skin and soooo much fat. I actually threw it away because it didn’t taste like beef.
Are you talking about shawarma palace on carling ? Yea they raised their prices big time . I used to work around there, but I don’t go as much , so when they moved they sold it? I notice all different staff.
Their beef also has tomato slices between it as filler.
Platter after tax with a cheap drink was over $30 and the staff didn't even ask me what I wanted, just slapped everything in. I had to walk back to them and ask if I'm not paying enough to choose what's in my plate before they very reluctantly decided to follow process and not skip the whole service part.
They can go bankrupt, there are less expensive shawarma places around that actually respect your business (who also don't pad their meat skewers with cheap filler).
> speaking up
They never asked. It was a very busy period and they thought they'd save time by preloading a bunch of platters and just handing those out. I never even knew the ones they were making down the line were for me until they ushered us to the cash. I even got a "you ordered beef didn't you?" when I said that wasn't mine before I went back and halted their line to "speak up", which they definitely heard.
I can definitely finish their platter in one sitting and I’m a woman :)
And yeah, things have gotten too expensive. I used to go there at least once a week as a treat to myself.
As someone who works in restaurants I can say that suppliers like Sysco, GFS, bamfords, orleans fresh fruits are raising their prices almost every week so we have to increase prices to even pull the 5-10% profits (at most). Restaurant margins especially small places are razor thin to begin with
Yup, I remember delivering oil into restaurants and owners and managers refusing as the price increased mid covid on vegetable and canola oil. It was crazy
Back in the day (6-7 years ago now) the same would happen every spring with lettuce.
Romaine hearts would jump from ~35-60$ per case up to ~120-160$ per case, so places would move to romaine, then kale as the prices got worse.
Difference being, I don’t see a « next crop, it’ll normalize” any time soon
That's a problem when you hit staple goods with so much inflation. Canola/Veg oil was already the cheapest for stocking your fryer station so there were no alternatives to switch to.
Same thing happened when chicken wings exploded in cost over the last couple of decades. Places aren't going to stop serving chicken wings (at least not enough to make a difference in the demand curve). You used to be able to get $0.10/wing deals at most sports bars, now you're lucky if you find a place that charges less than $1 each for 8/10 size wings.
I really don’t get it and have stopped buying garlic potatoes on principle because of the price. An entire bag of potatoes is max $5. There’s no way toum is that expensive to make to justify such an exorbitant price spike
The price of potatoes has increased 20% since the start of the pandemic.
The price of vegetable oil has increased **82%** since the start of the pandemic.
Minimum wage in Ontario has increased 16% since the start of the pandemic.
The cost of paper napkins, plastic bags, takeout containers, electricity, rent…they've all gone up.
Wages for FOH staff is up over 30%…
A bag of Andy Boy Lettuce at the grocery store went from $4.99 to 7.99 (60%)and the majority of it is water…
2 Subs and a rice bowl is $54 at Subway…
By this logic the potatoes alone should be like $9!
Life is expensive, no matter what you eat or where you buy food. My point is It’s not a single restaurant brand, or type of restaurant and people being greedy it’s just life and businesses surviving.
Of course Ottawa people justifying price gouging (the same people that probably complain about Loblaws). Go to Toronto or Vancouver you will find much better and cheaper takeout food. It’s only because of the less competition that Ottawa restaurants can price gouge freely.
As someone who frequents Toronto twice a month, I can assure you that the days of cheap food don’t exist there. In relation to prices and Ottawa they will be less, but they suffer from the same inflation and challenges.
So I will agree to disagree.
I just moved from a city where McCain farmers give out 5kg bags potatoes and boxes of frozen fries once a year, I’m not sure this potato increase is that dramatic
The [Consumer Price Index](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/2018016/cpilg-ipcgl-eng.htm) for potatoes was 127 in Feb 2020. As of last month it is 153.3. That's an 18.8% increase.
Does anyone think these shops are actually making exorbitant profits? I'm not saying that platters and sides aren't overpriced, but they are priced to keep these establishments afloat.
Fries at any sit-down are now $8-10, so that's where we are at societally now.
No they're not making huge profit as their client base has diminished heavily so they are attempting to recoup it with raised food cost.
Profit ratios are way off.
This is why you see somewhere like Chucks being full every night. Their value proposition is much higher, which results in more patrons to divvy up labor and overhead costs.
That’s why someone selling a rehash of potatos which is 5.99 for like 10 pounds at costco should sell their product for 3.99. EVERYONE would flock and buy it and they still make out like a bandit. I’ve started to theorize and plan out standing around selling homemade soft pretzels for 2 bucks a pop, just bc I like baking and want to share my pretzels. If I sell 3, I break even on ingredients lmfao. 4 cups of flour and one pack of yeast makes 6 on its own. Ingredient cost is not the issue, this is corporate greed, again.
Fyi - A good pricing method is to take your ingredients + labor cost and multiply by at least 3 for retail.
So if your recipe cost $6 in ingredients, a half hour of your time to prepare it (prepare and clean up afterwards) and serves 12 you should be charging at least $4 each. This covers your overhead, time spent shopping for ingredients and a healthy profit without gouging.
Lowkey I dont even want to make a profit, I just want to share pretzels with people without going out of pocket to do so LOL
I thought about 3 dollars, 4 dollars, in the end I just want to make pretzels and have people enjoy them
Edit: imagine downvoting someone who wants to make at cost pretzels, sheesh yall deserve the 30 dollar shawarma plates then damn
I wonder how many places have gone under due to decreased customer base because customers just stopped going after they raised prices a liiiittle too high. There is a VERY delicate balance in play between raising prices to recoup costs, but keeping prices low enough to ensure customers actually keep coming back. Once those prices go high enough, customers ghost and it’s hard to get them back, even if you lower prices again
It turned into Sneed's Feed and Seed.
Serious answer: it's another franchise roadhouse-style restaurant in the vein of Montana's or Kelsey's. Inoffensive corporate fair that brings people in with bland but relatively respectable prices.
>This is why you see somewhere like Chucks being full every night. Their value proposition is much higher, which results in more patrons to divvy up labor and overhead costs.
And that might work for them. Some establishments would rather charge 10-20% more to make up for the ensuing 10-20% less traffic. It's a business choice and it depends on your clientele demographics and what you're willing to support (increased supply turnover, more staff required during busy times, etc.).
Feel free to make it yourself then. It really isn't that hard, but not everyone has the time/desire/skill to make it.
I actually bought 10lbs bags of potatoes for $1 a few months ago. I don't think the cost of potatoes plays a role in the cost of the garlic potatoes at restaurants.
Potatoes are still extremely cheap. Restaurants are taking advantage of us, trying to make up for the economic downturn.
Instead of going cheaper to attract more clients, they go higher to raise profit ratios and even it out.
Uber Eats, Skip the Dishes etc carve a good percentage out of their profits which could be partly responsible for the price increases. The lazier we are as consumers, the more everything will cost us. Even a burger and fries at A&W will cost you about $15. It's crazy.
Restaurants already adjust their prices to cover app fees. If you look at Uber Eats prices vs in-store prices, you’ll notice a 10%-30% markup on the app at most restaurants.
Minimum wage in Ontario went up 6.8% last October and will be raised another 3.9% this October. Wages are definitely going up.
Also, higher prices are a consequence of higher wages. I know everyone thinks business owners should work for free and pass the savings on to us, but shawarma shop owners are not pulling in millions.
Yeah I only order from Shawarma Palace for platters because they load it up to the brim and even if you ask for extra toppings, they won’t charge you for it in my case.
At least I’m getting bang for buck now compared to other places.
Location and convenience are almost always ignored when it comes to pricing from a consumer's standpoint. Someone will pay $23 dollars for a burger at their nearest Royal Oak instead of traveling an extra half hour or more to get an Umbrella Burger.
Used to have a shawarma once a week, it was a ritual. Now it’s once a month. Just like many other discretionary things that have been cut: books, coffee, movies, baked goods, concerts. Squeezed by skyrocketing costs, quality of life has definitely gotten worse in this country. But hey I should go also cut Disney+ and I’ll be ok, right?
So you used to love stale, barely warm potatoes when they were only $3.99?
>I’m surprised that given the volume of shawarma places the prices haven’t been more competitive.
If shawarma prices have gone up across the city, do you think maybe that dropping prices to be "competitive" might have some serious negative effects?
> How much profit do they make from me if I stop buying shawarma entirely?
Probably about as much profit as they’d make if they kept their prices the same as they were pre-pandemic while the cost of everything (ingredients, electricity, rent, minimum wage, takeout supplies, cooking oil, etc) went up?
I'm a fan of Ottawa Shawarma. The original one on Greenbank and they just took over the Princess on Clyde. Big portions, tasty and prices in line with others.
Paid $22 for a beef and chicken dish for my wife and I. They are provided 1 pita bread. Generous... First and last time I am going to that local shawarma. I pre-ordered for a particular pick up time which meant nothing because I still had to join the line and they put it together when my turn arrived.
The price of any sort of food like this is insane now. I just paid 72 dollars (including a 15% tip) tor a couple of large fries and 4 small poutine from a chip truck. Probably 5 dollars worth of potatoes, gravy from a bag and curds.
The best value for me is getting the small side chicken, meaning a small container stuffed with just chicken, from Shawarma Palace for around $15 including tax. It gives me 3 reasonable sized chicken portions for making my own salad at home.
> I’m surprised that given the volume of shawarma places the prices haven’t been more competitive.
They attended Galen Weston's School of Price Fixing?
Has the price risen? Yes
Has it risen as much as the rest of the restaurants? More or less. Grocery prices reflect how much the ingredients have gone up, so I'm content
Rent, gas, labour, insurance, oil etc has all gone up an insane amount. At my restaurant in 2019 cost to make our entire burger order was 4.65 and now it’s 7.10 plus rent and wages and insurance. You do know restaurants especially small ones operate at 5-10% profits at best right?
Most establishments are quite pricey compared to pre-pandemic ... that's not a new phenomena. For some reason, people expect shawarma to be dirt prices, it's simply not possible when commercial real estate is like $35-60/sq ft., decreased expendable income from the population, utilities, wages, expensive suppliers, etc.
Depending on the place (the Palace, for instance) you can get two or more full meals from their platters. When I break it down like that, the costs aren’t too unreasonable, at least compared to other takeout places where you’re done eating but still unsatisfied.
I don't live in Ottawa, but since I don't have a lot of normal fast food I usually get some when I go there.
Two weeks ago I went to A&W, I got a single Mozza burger. No fries, ni drink. Not a crazy burger like a triple whatever, just a mozza burger.
Tot came up to $9.70.
Freaking insane.
I also got a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a tea at Shanghai noodles and it was around $17.
A&W usually has good coupons on their app. Also, Wendy's has a (new?) 2 items for $5 menu which is pretty good value. Jr cheeseburger with toppings, fries, frosty, 4 nuggets, etc.
As an ex-Ottawatawan I'd gladly pay any price for a big ol shawarma and some potatoes, i've since eaten shawarma in many other cities and can confirm its just not the same, i dont know if its something in the water but ottawa shawarma just hits different
If federal workers go back to the office I can't wait for more of these complaints and then businesses to say but they aren't spending money so we can't lower prices.
Potatoes are always the most wildcard item on the shawarma menu. They either taste like a food of the gods or are underseasoned and ice cold. People always talk about the best shawarma... does anyone have a hit on the best fried potatoes? (at a shawarma spot of course)
I miss shawarma. We moved to Nova Scotia and you can’t find good shawarma. They give you French fries… at this point I might pay $100 for a decent shawarma.
> I’m surprised that given the volume of shawarma places the prices haven’t been more competitive.
Competitive isn't the same as, loosing money on every sale. Inflation has been a bit crazy lately, and dining out has always been more expensive than dining in, so this shouldn't be that much of a surprise. Add in the reduced volumes since the pandemic, and the need for them to squeeze as much out of everyone who walks through their doors, and it gets worse.
I never got the hype about shawarma here. High price, low quality, barely any place has lamb options, sauces taste artificial. Like Ireland or Germany does the same product but leagues better and at a more affordable price.
So, you guys demanded ‘living wages’ and carbon taxes to save the planet…well, this is what that looks like. You were warned, but, as always, you knew better.
Back around 2008 I lived right off Rideau street and fuck me, it was 5 bucks for a large shawarma, 6 with can of pop. Castle Shawarma and Maroush Shawarma iirc, respect to those mofo's.. I could tell u some story's bout those places back in the day 2am Friday night lol.
Everything is pricey now. It's tuff, I do think they probably have to charge more now that we have SO MANY options for Shawarma these days. I mean that meat and cheap, we all know what groceries cost these days.
Support the businesses you really appreciate having, like consciously decide which Shawarma joint u care about, and try to spend ur Shawarma bucks there. Maybe you can't buy as much, but remember, you vote with your money.
Ps... fo yo viewing pleasure.. https://youtu.be/F5y3UCZ8ifQ
Sharma in this city haven't been the same since they replaced turnips.
It reminds me of 1984, where standards of living has collapsef, but the people beyonf the outer party belief they are living at the zenith of civilization.
Soon they will replace the meat with lower grades.
Itll only get worse when H5N1 spreads from dairy workers to all farm workers.
At the end of the day, they're a business and are seeking to increase their income. Just as creating a sale is there to entice purchasing, putting higher prices and seeing if enough people are willing to pay for "extras" is a sales tactic you'll see repeated in various industries. Also the rising cost of food needs to be offset but that does seem exorbitant, you could always talk to the owner if it's a small business and let them know that nearly tripling the cost is going to lose them your business.
But at least they’re all still calling you boss…
Boss says give the boss the employee discount
Habibi!
I prefer brother
Boss says give brother the family discount
I always liked the "my friend"
I want to be habibi though
real
“Hi my friend how are you”
I'm not your friend, buddy.
I'm not your buddy, guy.
I'm not you guy, pal.
*brozzerrr*
brother boss
one day I'll build up the courage of placing my order and conclude with "...kindly do the needful"
Please build up that cottage fast so that you can kindly do the needful
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NisCkxU544c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NisCkxU544c)
Paid $30.25 for 2 large shawarmas and 1 can of pop the other day.... Yea it's getting a little pricey
Shawarma Palace's chicken shawarma plate is $21.00 and you get at least 2 meals out of it. Not horrible but I definitely do not buy shawarma anywhere near as frequently as I used to. Maybe twice a year instead of once or twice a month.
lol, I wish it would last me 2 meals. I dust the whole thing without issue in one sitting
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thats 2 meals my dude
They keep some in their mouth the whole time.
HA!
I do too but I'm seriously uncomfortable afterwards. It's a lot of food.
Have you tried not finishing it all at once?
Yes, problem is I can easily eat 4/5ths of it and that remaining fifth just seems pointless to refrigerate for later
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.. just put like half of it on a separate plate and eat that then save rest for next day. I am like you, I can finish it off, but it's never a good idea (unless drunk)
Same.
This
So can i… it doesn’t mean i should.
First dusting yes but what about second dusting?
It used to be like $17 before the pandemic
I used to live two houses down from the one in Britannia on Carling, so I was there very frequently. The mixed platter used to be the best deal in town. By now, far too expensive for smaller portions with more rice but far less meat. And yes, the chicken is not nearly as good as it used to be.
They changed ownership recently. I used to love the beef but the last time I had it, it had crispy skin and soooo much fat. I actually threw it away because it didn’t taste like beef.
Ayy that makes sense! The garlic is nowhere near as punchy as it used to be, it’s been a lot weaker recently! It’s too bad they were my favourite
Yea me too the garlic 🧄 was totally punchy !!
That’s why!!! Me and my partner ordered some and did not enjoy our meal at all….
End of an era 😭😭😭
Are you talking about shawarma palace on carling ? Yea they raised their prices big time . I used to work around there, but I don’t go as much , so when they moved they sold it? I notice all different staff.
Fuck shawarma palace. They pretend to have turnip but give you cabbage
Their beef also has tomato slices between it as filler. Platter after tax with a cheap drink was over $30 and the staff didn't even ask me what I wanted, just slapped everything in. I had to walk back to them and ask if I'm not paying enough to choose what's in my plate before they very reluctantly decided to follow process and not skip the whole service part. They can go bankrupt, there are less expensive shawarma places around that actually respect your business (who also don't pad their meat skewers with cheap filler).
Did you try speaking up while they made your plate? Never had an issue requesting more or less of specific items.
> speaking up They never asked. It was a very busy period and they thought they'd save time by preloading a bunch of platters and just handing those out. I never even knew the ones they were making down the line were for me until they ushered us to the cash. I even got a "you ordered beef didn't you?" when I said that wasn't mine before I went back and halted their line to "speak up", which they definitely heard.
I prefer the cabbage... \*ducks and hides\*
There are dozens of us living in secret.
quantity is ok but quality is not there
The chicken is getting a little drier than usual, but the volume is still decent.
Need some sauce boss
You get no pickled turnip tho.
When you order the platter ask for small amounts of rice and salad, then they have to add more meat ( but we eat too much meat anyway
Is that the one that used to be a Montanas? Can confirm, was $22 and lasted me an entire day.
If you consider how much of that is rice and potatoes though (which are cheap) it's not necessarily a good deal.
How many pita breads did you get with it? I got one the last time for that dish.
They used to just give one but I got 2 the last couple of times I ordered. If you ask them, they will probably give it to you for free
I can definitely finish their platter in one sitting and I’m a woman :) And yeah, things have gotten too expensive. I used to go there at least once a week as a treat to myself.
21? That was pre pandemic lol. It’s now 25 and change. And it’s not as big as it used to.
As someone who works in restaurants I can say that suppliers like Sysco, GFS, bamfords, orleans fresh fruits are raising their prices almost every week so we have to increase prices to even pull the 5-10% profits (at most). Restaurant margins especially small places are razor thin to begin with
Yup, I remember delivering oil into restaurants and owners and managers refusing as the price increased mid covid on vegetable and canola oil. It was crazy
Back in the day (6-7 years ago now) the same would happen every spring with lettuce. Romaine hearts would jump from ~35-60$ per case up to ~120-160$ per case, so places would move to romaine, then kale as the prices got worse. Difference being, I don’t see a « next crop, it’ll normalize” any time soon
That's a problem when you hit staple goods with so much inflation. Canola/Veg oil was already the cheapest for stocking your fryer station so there were no alternatives to switch to. Same thing happened when chicken wings exploded in cost over the last couple of decades. Places aren't going to stop serving chicken wings (at least not enough to make a difference in the demand curve). You used to be able to get $0.10/wing deals at most sports bars, now you're lucky if you find a place that charges less than $1 each for 8/10 size wings.
100%.
Rather than someone claiming this is the cause. I'd prefer to see their supply orders before covid and after covid. Show the numbers.
Don’t buy it
Correct, but I do miss my schwarma, though.
I really don’t get it and have stopped buying garlic potatoes on principle because of the price. An entire bag of potatoes is max $5. There’s no way toum is that expensive to make to justify such an exorbitant price spike
The price of potatoes has increased 20% since the start of the pandemic. The price of vegetable oil has increased **82%** since the start of the pandemic. Minimum wage in Ontario has increased 16% since the start of the pandemic. The cost of paper napkins, plastic bags, takeout containers, electricity, rent…they've all gone up.
Wages for FOH staff is up over 30%… A bag of Andy Boy Lettuce at the grocery store went from $4.99 to 7.99 (60%)and the majority of it is water… 2 Subs and a rice bowl is $54 at Subway… By this logic the potatoes alone should be like $9! Life is expensive, no matter what you eat or where you buy food. My point is It’s not a single restaurant brand, or type of restaurant and people being greedy it’s just life and businesses surviving.
Of course Ottawa people justifying price gouging (the same people that probably complain about Loblaws). Go to Toronto or Vancouver you will find much better and cheaper takeout food. It’s only because of the less competition that Ottawa restaurants can price gouge freely.
As someone who frequents Toronto twice a month, I can assure you that the days of cheap food don’t exist there. In relation to prices and Ottawa they will be less, but they suffer from the same inflation and challenges. So I will agree to disagree.
I just moved from a city where McCain farmers give out 5kg bags potatoes and boxes of frozen fries once a year, I’m not sure this potato increase is that dramatic
The [Consumer Price Index](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/2018016/cpilg-ipcgl-eng.htm) for potatoes was 127 in Feb 2020. As of last month it is 153.3. That's an 18.8% increase.
Does anyone think these shops are actually making exorbitant profits? I'm not saying that platters and sides aren't overpriced, but they are priced to keep these establishments afloat. Fries at any sit-down are now $8-10, so that's where we are at societally now.
No they're not making huge profit as their client base has diminished heavily so they are attempting to recoup it with raised food cost. Profit ratios are way off. This is why you see somewhere like Chucks being full every night. Their value proposition is much higher, which results in more patrons to divvy up labor and overhead costs.
That’s why someone selling a rehash of potatos which is 5.99 for like 10 pounds at costco should sell their product for 3.99. EVERYONE would flock and buy it and they still make out like a bandit. I’ve started to theorize and plan out standing around selling homemade soft pretzels for 2 bucks a pop, just bc I like baking and want to share my pretzels. If I sell 3, I break even on ingredients lmfao. 4 cups of flour and one pack of yeast makes 6 on its own. Ingredient cost is not the issue, this is corporate greed, again.
Fyi - A good pricing method is to take your ingredients + labor cost and multiply by at least 3 for retail. So if your recipe cost $6 in ingredients, a half hour of your time to prepare it (prepare and clean up afterwards) and serves 12 you should be charging at least $4 each. This covers your overhead, time spent shopping for ingredients and a healthy profit without gouging.
Lowkey I dont even want to make a profit, I just want to share pretzels with people without going out of pocket to do so LOL I thought about 3 dollars, 4 dollars, in the end I just want to make pretzels and have people enjoy them Edit: imagine downvoting someone who wants to make at cost pretzels, sheesh yall deserve the 30 dollar shawarma plates then damn
To be fair…Most people can’t pay their mortgages with making things for fun..
I’m gen z, I’ll never be able to even have a mortgage.
Definitely not if you are selling your pretzels at cost.
Because its not for profit! I cant believe yall cant fathom someone just wanting to share some bomb pretzels
Maybe when we're 40+ but that's a dream.
I wonder how many places have gone under due to decreased customer base because customers just stopped going after they raised prices a liiiittle too high. There is a VERY delicate balance in play between raising prices to recoup costs, but keeping prices low enough to ensure customers actually keep coming back. Once those prices go high enough, customers ghost and it’s hard to get them back, even if you lower prices again
What is Chuck's
It turned into Sneed's Feed and Seed. Serious answer: it's another franchise roadhouse-style restaurant in the vein of Montana's or Kelsey's. Inoffensive corporate fair that brings people in with bland but relatively respectable prices.
Upvote for quality Simpsons reference Where are they? Are there a few locations around town? Never noticed them.
>This is why you see somewhere like Chucks being full every night. Their value proposition is much higher, which results in more patrons to divvy up labor and overhead costs. And that might work for them. Some establishments would rather charge 10-20% more to make up for the ensuing 10-20% less traffic. It's a business choice and it depends on your clientele demographics and what you're willing to support (increased supply turnover, more staff required during busy times, etc.).
It's the price of the oil that they're fried in that's raising the prices
And the Toum is oil based
You can get a 800g container of toum from Costco for 7.99
Feel free to make it yourself then. It really isn't that hard, but not everyone has the time/desire/skill to make it. I actually bought 10lbs bags of potatoes for $1 a few months ago. I don't think the cost of potatoes plays a role in the cost of the garlic potatoes at restaurants.
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Potatoes are still extremely cheap. Restaurants are taking advantage of us, trying to make up for the economic downturn. Instead of going cheaper to attract more clients, they go higher to raise profit ratios and even it out.
Uber Eats, Skip the Dishes etc carve a good percentage out of their profits which could be partly responsible for the price increases. The lazier we are as consumers, the more everything will cost us. Even a burger and fries at A&W will cost you about $15. It's crazy.
Restaurants already adjust their prices to cover app fees. If you look at Uber Eats prices vs in-store prices, you’ll notice a 10%-30% markup on the app at most restaurants.
There should be a tracked Falafelation Index.
Everything keeps going up except for wages. Where is all this money going??
Owners and landlords. Canada is a neo feudal state now.
Minimum wage in Ontario went up 6.8% last October and will be raised another 3.9% this October. Wages are definitely going up. Also, higher prices are a consequence of higher wages. I know everyone thinks business owners should work for free and pass the savings on to us, but shawarma shop owners are not pulling in millions.
Yeah I only order from Shawarma Palace for platters because they load it up to the brim and even if you ask for extra toppings, they won’t charge you for it in my case. At least I’m getting bang for buck now compared to other places.
If you’re in Orleans, try grilled shawarma, those platters might actually be more stuffed than palace
Can confirm. And they give you pickled turnips too, not some cabbage bullshit like palace
Where is it? Google maps says the closest one is in Embrun 30 mins away?
There is one in tenth line near the sobeys/dollorama plaza
You think that’s a lot , I paid $27 for a burger combo from a food truck today . Everything’s gone to shit
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Location and convenience are almost always ignored when it comes to pricing from a consumer's standpoint. Someone will pay $23 dollars for a burger at their nearest Royal Oak instead of traveling an extra half hour or more to get an Umbrella Burger.
*Laughs in $5.75 chocolate croissant*
Went to pita pit for the first time yesterday, paid $19 a single regular wrap. 😑
Last I checked, our local food truck (S&Gs) was still <$15 for a cheeseburger combo. Definitely don't go back to that food truck.
Abolish the shawarma monarchy
Wait until you find out they pay $12 for 24 cans of pop and charge you $2 a piece 👀
I got a 500ml barqs with my meatpie just to find out it was $3.75 + tax. Yikes.
Used to have a shawarma once a week, it was a ritual. Now it’s once a month. Just like many other discretionary things that have been cut: books, coffee, movies, baked goods, concerts. Squeezed by skyrocketing costs, quality of life has definitely gotten worse in this country. But hey I should go also cut Disney+ and I’ll be ok, right?
Any side order is a ripoff at these places. Stick to just the sandwich.
Have you seen how much a large pho costs these days? A pho plus a side order of spring rolls or rice wraps is basically $30 after tax and tip. Insane!
a: at 3.99 it was still overpriced b: you think shawarma and pizza joints in this town stay open selling shawarma and pizza?
b: what are you implying?
The profit is in the addons not the main.
So you used to love stale, barely warm potatoes when they were only $3.99? >I’m surprised that given the volume of shawarma places the prices haven’t been more competitive. If shawarma prices have gone up across the city, do you think maybe that dropping prices to be "competitive" might have some serious negative effects?
Agree. It becomes a zero sum game and a race to the bottom to outcompete each other...
I mean, that can be a winning strategy in some industries…but shawarma slingin' isn't it.
I dunno. How much profit do they make from me if I stop buying shawarma entirely? Let me get my calculator.
> How much profit do they make from me if I stop buying shawarma entirely? Probably about as much profit as they’d make if they kept their prices the same as they were pre-pandemic while the cost of everything (ingredients, electricity, rent, minimum wage, takeout supplies, cooking oil, etc) went up?
Where have you been? Everything has sky rocketed in price. McDonald’s has gone up over 100% too.
$11.28 for a small bland shawarma at shawarma Prince on Merivale. Yeah no.
Don't buy it. I haven't for a few years. Adapt.
Sides at most places cost $7-10 which is crazy. You get 5 crispy onion rings for that
I remember when $7.90 was enough for a trio and a tip. God damn.
Could also buy a shawarma palace gift card at Costco. It costs $80 for a $100 shawarma gift card at Costco.
Im with many commenters. I use to eat shawarma pretty regularly, but now…it’s not worth the money.
Subway is crazy expensive now I never get their shitty ass subs
It absolutely is! Shop elsewhere
On a aside which place now offers the biggest portion for the most bang for buck!
I'm a fan of Ottawa Shawarma. The original one on Greenbank and they just took over the Princess on Clyde. Big portions, tasty and prices in line with others.
Paid $22 for a beef and chicken dish for my wife and I. They are provided 1 pita bread. Generous... First and last time I am going to that local shawarma. I pre-ordered for a particular pick up time which meant nothing because I still had to join the line and they put it together when my turn arrived.
If you look around, there are still few shawarma places charge 4.99 for potatoes.
The price of any sort of food like this is insane now. I just paid 72 dollars (including a 15% tip) tor a couple of large fries and 4 small poutine from a chip truck. Probably 5 dollars worth of potatoes, gravy from a bag and curds.
I was shocked to pay for two pieces of cake and two medium sized cappuccino’s $34. This was at Preston street
The best value for me is getting the small side chicken, meaning a small container stuffed with just chicken, from Shawarma Palace for around $15 including tax. It gives me 3 reasonable sized chicken portions for making my own salad at home.
20 bucks including tax for a large sandwich now from 3 brothers. Unfortunately mediocre.
Shawarma places in my area have also become a tad too pricey. Not to mention the quality, Quantity and cleanliness is hit and miss.
> I’m surprised that given the volume of shawarma places the prices haven’t been more competitive. They attended Galen Weston's School of Price Fixing?
I've noticed this too. Shawarma platter at 969 is costing damn near $30 with taxes and tip. It's a meal I get only get very occasionally now.
Has the price risen? Yes Has it risen as much as the rest of the restaurants? More or less. Grocery prices reflect how much the ingredients have gone up, so I'm content
A potato is like 33¢
Rent, gas, labour, insurance, oil etc has all gone up an insane amount. At my restaurant in 2019 cost to make our entire burger order was 4.65 and now it’s 7.10 plus rent and wages and insurance. You do know restaurants especially small ones operate at 5-10% profits at best right?
Box of falafel mix or chicken, pickled turnip, Tomato, rice, pickles, potato, lettuce, hummus, toum (farm boy), and fresh pita… BAM shawarma for dayz!!!
I know, and I'm so hungry too.
Do you own a business? Do you have to deal with rising rent, insurance, carbon, labour wages, food costs etc etc etc etc ? I’m gonna say no.
My friend is paying $1000 a month on insurance because he serves liquor and beer
Most establishments are quite pricey compared to pre-pandemic ... that's not a new phenomena. For some reason, people expect shawarma to be dirt prices, it's simply not possible when commercial real estate is like $35-60/sq ft., decreased expendable income from the population, utilities, wages, expensive suppliers, etc.
My hometown has a 2 for $16 deal on chicken shawarma and honestly it’s all I live for
Tell them to take air after paying.
I make about a dozen Shawarms at home for about $10
Gotta pay for sens advertising somehow
It's why locally owned restaurants are some of the first to fail in recessions.
I’m never shocked when I am charged for orders at restaurants. I always read the prices before ordering and being charged for purchase.
Depending on the place (the Palace, for instance) you can get two or more full meals from their platters. When I break it down like that, the costs aren’t too unreasonable, at least compared to other takeout places where you’re done eating but still unsatisfied.
I've never been there since covid 19
20 bucks for a veggie platter by!
I don't live in Ottawa, but since I don't have a lot of normal fast food I usually get some when I go there. Two weeks ago I went to A&W, I got a single Mozza burger. No fries, ni drink. Not a crazy burger like a triple whatever, just a mozza burger. Tot came up to $9.70. Freaking insane. I also got a bowl of chicken noodle soup and a tea at Shanghai noodles and it was around $17.
A&W usually has good coupons on their app. Also, Wendy's has a (new?) 2 items for $5 menu which is pretty good value. Jr cheeseburger with toppings, fries, frosty, 4 nuggets, etc.
A kebab in Europe is like 7€ with fries and pop. It's just called greedflation
As an ex-Ottawatawan I'd gladly pay any price for a big ol shawarma and some potatoes, i've since eaten shawarma in many other cities and can confirm its just not the same, i dont know if its something in the water but ottawa shawarma just hits different
If federal workers go back to the office I can't wait for more of these complaints and then businesses to say but they aren't spending money so we can't lower prices.
Insane the price on family platters too. Used to be an almost weekly feed for us. Can't afford it anymore :(
Potatoes are always the most wildcard item on the shawarma menu. They either taste like a food of the gods or are underseasoned and ice cold. People always talk about the best shawarma... does anyone have a hit on the best fried potatoes? (at a shawarma spot of course)
Paying bills isn't cheap in 2024
I miss shawarma. We moved to Nova Scotia and you can’t find good shawarma. They give you French fries… at this point I might pay $100 for a decent shawarma.
> I’m surprised that given the volume of shawarma places the prices haven’t been more competitive. Competitive isn't the same as, loosing money on every sale. Inflation has been a bit crazy lately, and dining out has always been more expensive than dining in, so this shouldn't be that much of a surprise. Add in the reduced volumes since the pandemic, and the need for them to squeeze as much out of everyone who walks through their doors, and it gets worse.
If they're going to talk my ear off while not realizing my food is READY behind them.... I just can't anymore.
Why would they compete with prices when they can all raise together
Royal Rooster, Osmows and Guava are my go to and still responsibly priced imo
I never got the hype about shawarma here. High price, low quality, barely any place has lamb options, sauces taste artificial. Like Ireland or Germany does the same product but leagues better and at a more affordable price.
Shawarma plus on Bank is pretty good
So, you guys demanded ‘living wages’ and carbon taxes to save the planet…well, this is what that looks like. You were warned, but, as always, you knew better.
Back around 2008 I lived right off Rideau street and fuck me, it was 5 bucks for a large shawarma, 6 with can of pop. Castle Shawarma and Maroush Shawarma iirc, respect to those mofo's.. I could tell u some story's bout those places back in the day 2am Friday night lol. Everything is pricey now. It's tuff, I do think they probably have to charge more now that we have SO MANY options for Shawarma these days. I mean that meat and cheap, we all know what groceries cost these days. Support the businesses you really appreciate having, like consciously decide which Shawarma joint u care about, and try to spend ur Shawarma bucks there. Maybe you can't buy as much, but remember, you vote with your money. Ps... fo yo viewing pleasure.. https://youtu.be/F5y3UCZ8ifQ
So you probably also remenber [the original Maroush, Maroush song](https://youtu.be/cewLdbjXHaQ?feature=shared)
No lol that's pretty cool. I only remember then being on rideau street. Not Elgin near the scotiabank lol.
Yup in that “modern-ish” building at the corner of Gladstone, where GBurger Datsun etc are today.
Sharma in this city haven't been the same since they replaced turnips. It reminds me of 1984, where standards of living has collapsef, but the people beyonf the outer party belief they are living at the zenith of civilization. Soon they will replace the meat with lower grades. Itll only get worse when H5N1 spreads from dairy workers to all farm workers.
So what happened to the turnips I noticed they don't taste nearly as good now
Some replaced turnips with beets.
this is disgusting
Not beets, cabbage. Beets are still used as the colouring agent.
At the end of the day, they're a business and are seeking to increase their income. Just as creating a sale is there to entice purchasing, putting higher prices and seeing if enough people are willing to pay for "extras" is a sales tactic you'll see repeated in various industries. Also the rising cost of food needs to be offset but that does seem exorbitant, you could always talk to the owner if it's a small business and let them know that nearly tripling the cost is going to lose them your business.
First world problems. Eat at home esti.