Noodle shop vows to keep 3-baht price despite higher costs
A Chiang Mai food shop famous for its 3-baht noodle soup dishes promised to retain the low price despite a huge decline in profits due to the higher cost of raw materials.
The owner, Thawat Pirata, said on Thursday that his shop, located in the northern city’s Muang district, has never experienced this level of high costs since it was set up 34 years ago.
“Our shop has sold noodle soups at 3 baht each for over 34 years. We have never got the raw materials so expensive. The shop has lost more than 30 per cent of profits,” said the 64-year-old.
“But we will not raise the price, as we don’t want to make things worse for our customers, who are struggling to survive in this kind of economy,” he added.
Another food shop in Chiang Mai also promised not to hike prices.
Arun Sammasap, 72, owner of the Oh Rotdet rice and curry eatery in Muang district, said on Thursday that her food shop had lost almost 50 per cent of profits as raw material prices had increased by up to 20 per cent.
“But we still sell at the existing prices, THB20-30 per dish. Our customers have to save money as their cost of living is increasing,” she said.
The shop owner added, however, that if the prices of raw materials continue to rise, the amount of food might be “reduced slightly” so that the dishes could be sold at the existing prices.