I get pretty peeved at the prices and service levels of desi restaurants as well – especially in comparison to the other options available… but just recently I was wondering if this is typical and more of a helpless state for the types of restaurants we frequent. I mean most of us who’re writing here about our issues are talking about our experiences with establishments serving desi halal food. Firstly, the meat itself costs a lot more than wholesale meat used by other restaurants including Italian/Greek/whatever. Also, I’m pretty sure that the desi halal food restaurants don’t do as much business as their American/Italian/Greek counterparts because the food still primarily appeals to desis or it’s an acquired taste for most gorey pallets – the exception being butter chicken which is what most gorey think of when they hear Indian cuisine.
So on the supply side, the food costs more to make… and on the demand side, there just isn’t enough of demand… both these factors reduce any opportunities for economies of scale and the consumer is charged for roti chawal whatever. It’s volume vs. price debacle… our desi restaurants make money off every order/transaction, while their counterparts make money off the volume of business.
Just my own rather unqualified take on this issue – I don’t own/run a joint or anything.
13 dollars for maash kee daal in Orlando ...
Maash kee daal is not halal meat :D