Ayam penyet and ayam gepuk have long been Malaysian favourites whenever it comes to Indonesian cuisine.
Recently, a Malaysian woman has taken to social media to question whether the price tag for these dishes has gone way overboard.
‘Who normalised this price?’
On Threads, Sharifah shared her frustration after discovering that a single plate of Ayam Gepuk or Penyet now costs at least RM15.
Who started normalising the price of ayam gepuk/penyet above RM15? I get that it’s food from our neighbouring country, but why is it so expensive?” she wrote.
She pointed out that the restaurants buy their ingredients locally, so the cost shouldn’t be that high.
“It’s not like the restaurant cooked it in Indonesia first before exporting it here. Even in Indonesia itself, it’s not that pricey.”
To make matters worse, she said customers have to pay even more if they want to add tempeh or tofu, despite the small portion size.
One piece of chicken, rice, cabbage, and cucumber costs RM15. If you want tempeh or tofu, you have to add RM2. And they’re only the size of a thumb!” she lamented.
She added that the prices to add on side dishes or condiments were set at equally unreasonable prices too.
“Want to add stir-fried cabbage? That’s RM3.70!!! Add another RM3 and you can already get a plate of Malaysian chicken rice. Even soy sauce costs RM1.50!”
In the comment section, she revealed that this is what happened in the state where she is located, Terengganu.
Netizens can’t agree more
Her post quickly gained traction, with many netizens agreeing with Sharifah and jumping in to share their frustration.
‘Over there (Indonesia), you can eat it for under RM10. In Malaysia, it’s overpriced. Tempeh pieces are the same size as a child’s finger.’
‘Even mixed rice is cheaper than ayam gepuk/penyet,” wrote one user. “It’s just fried chicken with sambal, soy sauce, and cabbage. The sambal isn’t even slow-cooked for hours. The cabbage is simply stir-fried/ fried!‘
Some suggested a few possible reasons for the overpricing.
A person claimed some owners blamed the price hike on the cashew nuts in the sambal, while some said it all came down to branding and hype.
‘It’s the branding. Look at spaghetti. Put a fancy name on it, and suddenly a plate costs over RM10 even though it’s made in Malaysia.’
Others suggested that rental costs might be to blame, noting that ayam gepuk is getting expensive everywhere, even in Terengganu, where more shops are selling the same menu.
Meanwhile, some lamented that Kelantanese food in KL has also suffered the same fate, with prices climbing because people keep buying regardless.
Indonesians chip in
Even Indonesian netizens were surprised by the pricing. One stated that cabbage is for free there.
‘A packet of ayam geprek rice in Bandung costs 15,000 rupiah. That’s not even RM4.’
Another netizen added that cabbage is free in Indonesia and was confused why it costs so much in Malaysia.
**Special thanks to Sharifah for sharing her story.
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