Why Is Asian Food More Expensive Here? (Portland, Eugene: rent, minimum wage)

[noregon98]

I've been to some Chinese and Thai Restaurants and it seems most of the dishes are at least $5-6 higher here.

I sort of understand why Thai is more expensive as some of their ingredients are.
I say sort of because I am used to Southern Thai, predominately found in Southern Cal.

Once you get as north as Sacramento and beyond, they all seem to go the Northern Thai route.

Southern Thai does not have veggies more commonly used in American cooking.

Northern Thai can and does use tomatoes, onions, carrots, and the white button or table mushroom (as opposed to the straw mushroom) to name a few. Some use serranos in place of actual Thai chili peppers...maybe it's the heat thing? It sure does alter the taste of the dish though.

Is this because many of the items on some dishes are made with seasoning veggies rather than eating ones; lemongrass and galangal to name two, and people new to this cuisine feel that they are not getting their money's worth, since those end up uneaten in the bowl?

What I don't get is why Chinese food is at least $6-10 higher?

Are those ingredients harder get as well, or is it just a matter of supply and demand...not too many Asian restaurants around?

[Luckystrike1]

Interesting, because I complain about the costs of Chinese food when I'm in California (although there are a couple of good ones in the Central Valley town where my brothers live, and those were very modestly priced). One Thai restaurant in Palm Springs that I love is considerably more expensive than what I'm used.


SE 82nd Street in Portland, several blocks of mostly Asian cuisine, probably runs the gamut in ranges of cost. I don't live close enough to it and test and compare. Did eat once at Wong King's, which was expensive and none of us thought it was very good.

[Larry Caldwell]

What are you paying? Chinese normally costs about $9 - $13 a dinner around here. I can't imagine any restaurant serving a full meal for $6 less. Thai food has a comparable price. How do you expect them to keep the doors open for less?

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by noregon98

I've been to some Chinese and Thai Restaurants and it seems most of the dishes are at least $5-6 higher here.

Where is "here"? Portland? Small town Oregon?

A good bowl of pho where I live is about $5-$7. I cant see it being $1-2 elsewhere.

[Silverfall]

In Oregon wait staff are paid minimum wage. They don't have a lower wage like in some other states so it depends on what you are comparing it too. I know CA has wait staff make minimum wage as well. Only 7 states do.

I know my favorite Chinese food in Salem is $9-$11 per plate. I have no idea how they would pay rent on a building, run a business, etc for $3-$5 a plate. That would be bad math. Maybe our commercial rents are higher than where you are comparing them too.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

What are you paying? Chinese normally costs about $9 - $13 a dinner around here. I can't imagine any restaurant serving a full meal for $6 less. Thai food has a comparable price. How do you expect them to keep the doors open for less?

In San Francisco it's easy to get great Chinese food for $6. It's shouldn't really cost more for Chinese food in rural Oregon, then it does with the crazy high cost of doing business in San Francisco. But that has to do with competition. In San Francisco there is a Chinese restaurant on every corner. Where I live here I only have one Chinese restaurant to choose from. They mostly cater towards the tourists. It costs about 2 times more than it should, and to make matters worse, it's probably the worst Chinese food I have ever eaten. It's not even Panda Express quality.

I miss the great $6 and $7 Japanese and Korean food I enjoyed in California too. We need more Asian people to come to Oregon and open restaurants.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Silverfall

In Oregon wait staff are paid minimum wage. They don't have a lower wage like in some other states so it depends on what you are comparing it too. I know CA has wait staff make minimum wage as well. Only 7 states do.

I know my favorite Chinese food in Salem is $9-$11 per plate. I have no idea how they would pay rent on a building, run a business, etc for $3-$5 a plate. That would be bad math. Maybe our commercial rents are higher than where you are comparing them too.

The minimum wage has nothing to do with it. I get so tired of hearing people blame the minimum wage for high prices. Rent prices also have nothing to do with it. In San Francisco the minimum wage is $13 an hour, and rents are as high as anywhere else, except maybe New York, and yet there is cheap Chinese food everywhere.

It has 100% to do with competition. When you have competition prices will be low. Without competition business owners will gouge their customers. Restaurant owners in most parts of Oregon, have very little competition. Especially ethnic restaurants, which are mostly monopolies.

[noregon98]

$10 a plate for Thai soup there, $16 and change for the same item here w/o authentic chilies or mushrooms.

Quite a few of the items I like had that $16+ change price compared to $9+ change for the ones I like there.

I also thought that maybe it's cheaper in L.A. because San Pedro is where Asian specialties and other imported fruits arrive and then have to be trucked elsewhere?

I rarely eat Chinese since I found Thai.

I just happened to pick up a take-out menu from a small Chinese takeout (with a few chairs(?) but no atmosphere) and noticed they had a chicken dish for $18.99.

I just called and they said it was separate no rice. I asked if it was a whole chicken but they said it was cut up but couldn't tell me how many pieces.

I just checked some online menus of where I used to go and a Thai place offered a Thai BBQ half chicken with rice $8.99

My first thought was competition, then the rent.


I have noticed that common veggies here; bananas, especially grapes are a little higher here too, is that because of trucking fees?

I used to go to this one store-business just for some fruits and veg only.
Look at the current price of grapes not even in season (probably from Mexico?) some of the chains, Safeway etc. get the grapes that low in the summer:

http://www.sunlandproduce.com/index....ls&type=weekly

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

In San Francisco it's easy to get great Chinese food for $6. It's shouldn't really cost more for Chinese food in rural Oregon, then it does with the crazy high cost of doing business in San Francisco. But that has to do with competition. In San Francisco there is a Chinese restaurant on every corner. Where I live here I only have one Chinese restaurant to choose from. They mostly cater towards the tourists. It costs about 2 times more than it should, and to make matters worse, it's probably the worst Chinese food I have ever eaten. It's not even Panda Express quality.

I miss the great $6 and $7 Japanese and Korean food I enjoyed in California too. We need more Asian people to come to Oregon and open restaurants.

The lunch special at Lee's in Roseburg is $6 too. Your receipt is the equivalent of Chinese fast food - scrape it out of a pot onto a plate and hand it across the counter. If you want higher quality food, you will have to wait while they cook it. Of course, you get tea and a bowl of egg flower or wonton soup while you wait. You are complaining that a ribeye steak and baked potato in Oregon costs more than a Big Mac in San Francisco.

I will agree that there are some lousy Chinese restaurants out there, that just thaw a frozen entree and serve it to an unsuspecting public. Just don't go back. If there is only one Chinese restaurant where you live, it is a really small town. It's unlikely anyone will want to open a restaurant there.

[noregon98]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

Where is "here"? Portland? Small town Oregon?

A good bowl of pho where I live is about $5-$7. I cant see it being $1-2 elsewhere.

Wow, that Pho may even cheaper than in LA.!



Eugene comes to mind first where I got that big price jump.

I think there was a place in Cottage Grove a few years ago, but googled the Subway that was next to it tonight and it wasn't there now.

You get what you pay for, so I'm not looking for gourmet (or otherwise) Asian food on the cheap, just was curious on why there was a big jump.

I'll check out the Chinese take out tomorrow just to see what's up with that $18 chicken! I mean if it were an upscale-nice looking restaurant, that would be one thing...