Caption: The corn dish in question. Inset- Virat Kohli
Credit: X/@itspsneha and PTI Photos
Dining experiences in top-tier cities in India have begun shifting towards the need for ambience, 'vibes' and the community the place attracts. As such, it isn't very surprising that many restaurants that have great ambience and brand names, charge high prices of normal dishes that you could perhaps find elsewhere at cheaper prices.
However, whether doing so is the right way to go, is debatable. And this debate came up when X user @itspsneha posted on her account that a corn dish, which you will easily get under 100 bucks at street carts, cost her Rs 525 at Virat Kohli's One8 Commune restaurant.
The post went viral, with netizens debating why the price of such dishes is so high and whether it is justifiable.
One user said, "You paid for the “community” One8 has created :) ~ the people hanging around, the music, the vibe … coming from the high rent, higher than average staff salary, etc etc etc"
Another said, "Money is Ambience, Service & Cleanliness . That comfy chair, good looking rich ppl around, nice crockeries. Isn’t it ? Get the same thing in Thela for 30Rs. Choice is Urs."
Adding to it, a third user said, "The day you accept service equals over priced food; consider yourself null and void."
One user asked, "What is the price that the farmer would have got?"
Another said, "In the name of vibe they are just looting ppl. Reminds me of one german restaurant where I ordered gluten free food to get just boiled potatoes, that too for ₹200"
User @ShachiGambhir, commenting on the restaurant in particular, said, "I just didn’t like the place. Firstly, they have some issue with chappals (Birkenstocks). Second, every single dish we had was underwhelming. The price didn’t justify the product."
With younger generations gravitating towards Insta-friendly eating places, there has been a rise in restaurants and cafes in major cities, which focus on appearance as well as the quality of food.