KUCHING: Eateries are beginning to notice a drop in customers with the cost of goods going up.
They believe people are now more inclined to eat at home as they grapple with the rising cost of goods.
Kapitan Tan Yit Sheng, 56, who owns Heng Ki Kopitiam, said there has been a decrease of about 15 per cent in people eating out.
“People choose to cook at home and cut cost by eating out less… it has impacted the working class as they feel the pressure of rising costs.
“So, when people eat outside less, sales for coffeeshop owners and other eateries will decrease. I can see that there is a decrease of about 15 to 20 percent in sales,” he said to New Sarawak Tribune here Wednesday (Sept 20).
Lalieyana
He said based on his observation fewer people are going to the coffeeshop in the morning, at tea time and at night.
But there are many customers during lunchtime because people have no time to cook at home, he said.
“People have no choice but to have their lunch outside but now even during lunchtime, about 20 per cent would rather take away their food and not order drinks because it can be crowded during lunchtime,” he added.
Tan said there is nothing much the government can do regarding this matter because spikes in the prices of important commodities are not only caused by internal factors but also by what is happening globally.
“If people are beginning to spend less, this would have a negative effect on our economy. I think what the government can do to boost our economy is to invite more foreign investments and ensure political instability,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ken’s Kitchen and Uncle Teck Kopitiam owner Des, 35, has also noticed that the number of customers coming in had been declining from March this year due to prices of products increasing.
“We have no way to get our customers to dine in like before though until now, we have not increased our price as it wouldn’t be fair to customers.
“When prices of commodities are always changing without notice, we can’t afford to keep changing our sale prices,” Des explained.
She also said that it would not be fair to operators as well as it would greatly impact their profit margin.
All they can do now is maintain their prices and see how things will go in the future, she added.
New Sarawak Tribune also had the opportunity to ask the public their opinion.
Assistant manager Lalieyana Donny, 21, said she has been cutting cost by bringing packed food from home to her workplace.
“I think the government can help bring the economy up by overseeing product prices especially the ones that are necessities to the people,” she said.
Vivian Voon Jia Yi, 21, a manager, also expressed similar points of view.
“I’m also trying as best I can to cut cost by eating less outside and as a manager of a café myself, I can understand why people would rather eat at home,” she said.
