Thai Restaurant Industry Faces Crisis as Purchases Plummet by 40%

[loong]

17 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

80 baht 

I doubt if I could cook a meal at home for that after buying all the ingredients?

Probably makes sense if I lived with 5+ people.

Depends on what you are cooking.
I can cook a chicken meal for 2 for much less than that.

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, 1FinickyOne said:

maybe there was a demand before but when parts of the equation change, like prices going up, there is no room for profit at the original price and so prices must go up... lowering the prices to below cost is not an option that is viable... right? simple math - economics 101... I know you try... I know it is not easy for you... 

Difficult for you to grasp i know, some businesses under cut until the competition closes

[BritManToo]

30 minutes ago, loong said:

Depends on what you are cooking.
I can cook a chicken meal for 2 for much less than that.

I can cook a pork steak with baked potato, mushrooms and gravy for about 30bht.

Thinking MalcomB just shops in the foreigner supermarkets.

[billd766]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

ever heard of too many businesses? you think anyone does a business plan? did you?

Y never needed a business plan as I was never in the restaurant business. Reading some of the posts so far from people that have been in the business, I am glad that I never was, either.

 

It was never in my skill set.

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, Cameroni said:

 

No, because if you can't afford a McMuffin you certainly can't afford a ribeye steak, Greek style Yoghurt, Almond flour, avocados or cashew nuts.

Meat, veg, potato meals are very cheap and easy to cook.

And they're probably healthier.

 

Normal folk with families don't eat the nonsense you suggested.

[1FinickyOne]

32 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Difficult for you to grasp i know, some businesses under cut until the competition closes

Yo Meathead, you probably don't want to try and match business acumen... stick to your BMI 

 

Not a lot of undercutting going on in these times, everyplace is struggling... 

[1FinickyOne]

34 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I can cook a pork steak with baked potato, mushrooms and gravy for about 30bht.

Thinking MalcomB just shops in the foreigner supermarkets.

My wife is in the village, what time should I stop by for dinner? 

[1FinickyOne]

7 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

now there are 5 places identifying as steakhouse and 8 places selling pizza (2 selling Italian style pizza).  Might it just be that there are TOO MANY RESTAURANTS?!

Is that in Tak City? 

[scubascuba3]

55 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

Yo Meathead, you probably don't want to try and match business acumen... stick to your BMI 

 

Not a lot of undercutting going on in these times, everyplace is struggling... 

Have you considered you are eating all the profits? i know you struggle with diabetes and being grossly overweight, cut down on the stuffing your face and your mrs fake business might make a profit 

[Gottfrid]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

share your business plan you did prior to starting a business here, it will be interesting to see 😂

First you will not have the capacity to understand such plan. Moreover, why should I share a business plan with a total stranger? 

[Tiger1980]

21 hours ago, save the frogs said:

did you ever run a restaurant?

ever heard of .... overhead expenses? 

 

From what I’ve heard it’s mostly due to the increase in rents by very rich Thais

[johng]

The Covidiocy plandemic has been ruinous worldwide...leading to a poverty pandemic.

[Maxbkkcm]

9 hours ago, CCesar said:

We used to eat out plenty, but it is hard to find a restaurant serving quality food without them using unreasonable amounts of MSG. A good enough reason for us to cut down on eating out, besides being ripped off too many times for bad or low quality food and inconsistent service.

Pets, open kitchens, poor hygiene and  unhealthy environments is another reason for thinking twice before dining out.

that was your experience? Normally tourists love the food here and in BKK they said its the best of the region.

[safarimike11]

23 hours ago, save the frogs said:

I paid 100 baht for sticky rice and mango at a street stall. 

I guess I got ripped off. 

I'm still not sure what's worth what. 

 

I bought 3 (average sized) mangoes at the local market for 35 baht. Sticky rice costs 10 baht a pack. Coconut milk can be bought for as little as 25 baht for a small carton. (So, you could buy and prepare it yourself for under 30 baht - if you can be bothered). On the other hand, I can buy the ready-made version or 60 baht in the market - but a street stall would have a bigger mark-up.

[SMIAI]

@safarimike11 Stop it, you are embarrassing yourself.

So you would buy a 10 baht pack of sticky rice, pour the carton of UHT coconut milk over it and call that Khao Niew Ma Muang?

 

I happily pay 100 baht to sit to eat it here: https://g.co/kgs/3gmTWvN

[1FinickyOne]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Have you considered you are eating all the profits? i know you struggle with diabetes and being grossly overweight, cut down on the stuffing your face and your mrs fake business might make a profit 

If you had half her business acumen you would be doing twice as well... I am 90 kgs - how about you meathead? Yes, I do have diabetes. So, you hit it - 20% - not bad for you... 

[Maxbkkcm]

9 hours ago, Don Giovanni said:

With the declining attitudes of the waitresses I witnessed in Pattaya a few weeks ago then it's no wonder!

 

Talk about moody.

 

If you don't like your job, or you don't like working with farangs, then quit! I couldn't wait to get back to Kobe, where the service is impeccable and the food is top notch.

 

The Don. 

but their wages is low. Hard to be motivated and smile. Do you tips them?

[safarimike11]

1 hour ago, SMIAI said:

@safarimike11 Stop it, you are embarrassing yourself.

So you would buy a 10 baht pack of sticky rice, pour the carton of UHT coconut milk over it and call that Khao Niew Ma Muang?

 

I happily pay 100 baht to sit to eat it here: https://g.co/kgs/3gmTWvN

As Liam Gallagher said to the reporter: "No problem, I'm rich and you're not".

[safarimike11]

10 minutes ago, Maxbkkcm said:

but their wages is low. Hard to be motivated and smile. Do you tips them?

Yes, he's tip them.

[black tabby12345]

When they feel they don't have enough customers, they are often overpriced.

2 small diners in my neighborhood(one run by shop owner alone, another by old wife and husband) always look busy.

They have something in common; reasonably priced(the former is 35B,  and the latter is 40B).

 

Their fried rice below:

 

 

   35B                                                                        40B

                              

 

                                                                                    40B plate is one feet large...

[Maxbkkcm]

9 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

That is a no Brainer, lower prices and work for nothing, I own a restaurant and I'm closing from selling food as you can not make meals for 50 Bhat and survive, add to that the  problem  Grab and the others are ruining restaurants delivering meals from anywhere, street stalls , backyard kitchens , the high season was a failure, falung were buying their own food at macro, most of my friends with restaurants are loosing money you can't make money even on drinks you would have to sell 500 bottles of beer a day to survive.

Covid started this and the motorbike delivery service sprang up and thrived, and is now expanding, about 200 deliveries go past my place a day, and no customers going into restaurants.

 

I just got back from BK and the hotels are empty, the INDRA Pratunam restaurants are closed.

Hardly any Indian tourists in the streets and hardly any Chinese, its bad.

You cant sell a pork chop for 50 Bhat or a decent burger under 150.

Food is not cheap to purchase unless you want to eat rice and bamboo every day, and even then you can only pay the power and internet, if you pay rent your gone down the toilet.

if they buy from delivery, means the restaurants are booming. They still order from these restaurants

[aldriglikvid]

What are these Chinese restaurants mentioned in the article?

[Tiger1980]

On 3/27/2025 at 4:02 PM, Cameroni said:

 

I think they have already reacted because it was starting to affect their bottom line. Most restaurants failed to hit targets in the first quarter of 2024. So MacDonalds reintroduced the 5 Dollar menu value meal.

 There’s me thinking this tread was about the THAI restaurant business.

[watchcat]

16 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

That isn’t something I would order in a restaurant or cook myself.

 

But wasn't that what  you asked  for an 80 baht lunch?

[scubascuba3]

12 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

First you will not have the capacity to understand such plan. Moreover, why should I share a business plan with a total stranger? 

Because you never had any kind of plan, same most people who open a business here

[kiwikeith]

7 hours ago, Maxbkkcm said:

if they buy from delivery, means the restaurants are booming. They still order from these restaurants

Not so, the delivery service takes big commission and gives discount coupons they can deliver somtum for 30 Bhat with a coupon they are supplying food from 7/11 now and people are turning their car park spaces into illegal kitchens, the.Bike companies don't care who they buy from they take over 30%commission 

[scubascuba3]

Newish small thai restaurant i go to in Pattaya doing really well, started as street food, moved into a building, very busy, they have a good product.

 

Another one i go to in Sattahip, relatively new, but straight away people moved to her business and it was just better than next door

[Gottfrid]

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Because you never had any kind of plan, same most people who open a business here

Please, it´s hurting to read your comments. Did you understand what I wrote in the comment you quoted. Just because I don´t send you or publish a business plan for you, I don´t have one. Are you that deluded? I always have a solid plan when starting a business, built on a solid market analysis. After that comes the financials and balance calculations to always know what´s needed to break even. Putting all that together you can find the worst case scenario as well as the best. If you can live with both alternatives, you are okay to go. You must also always consider a period between 6 month up to a year for online business to start be profitable. For land based business you have to give it between 2-3 years.

Just sounds to me, that you have no means or knowledge to do anything here. Just pure envy in your comments. Now go back to your books, because you really need to read more.

[tonypattaya]

1. Reduce the massive import tax on wine.

2. Restaurants should uplift the price by 50% not 100%+

3. True dinners would then start to eat out more often.

[black tabby12345]

On 3/27/2025 at 8:53 PM, save the frogs said:

I paid 100 baht for sticky rice and mango at a street stall. 

I guess I got ripped off. 

I'm still not sure what's worth what. 

 

 

Absurdly overpriced.

Perfect example of the Tourist Rip Off.

The estimate of original cost: Mango, 20-30B/kg. Stick rice, 30B(or so)/kg.

Plus cost of electricity: 6-8B/hour.

 

*Price quotes from the local market I frequent in Chiang Mai (e.g Muang Mai, or Chiang Mai Gate).

Vendors usually buy their fruit and vegetables at these markets or discount store like Makro.

They are highly unlikely to get them from Tops(where fresh produces are quite expensive).

 

And in Chiang Mai, even the food stalls in touristy area won't charge that much.

In case of Mango Sticky Rice, at most at B50.

Even though the price of the eats at  Champuak Gate night bazar skyrocketed after C/virus scare.

They used to be at local price before that.

 

So I never go there again, unlike yesteryears.