For those looking for a dinner delivery or carryout order, Kabobi has a deal right now through May 31,2020:

Order online on KabobiGrill.com and get 25% off your first order!
Get 10% off each order after that!

https://www.facebook.com/KabobiGrill/

Seven of us that get together regularly got a delivery order from Kabobi tonight and it was outstanding. Even though we were delayed in tucking in (no fault of the restaurant/del service), we all ate like sultans, the food really held up over time. We got a nice assortment, beef, lamb and chicken with grilled vegetables, plenty of tender rice with butter, lime wedges, and some hummus, soft pita. I didn't get great taste of the beef or hummus but that lamb was magnificent and the chicken stellar. The rice, grilled peppers, zucchini & tomatoes are all amazing.

This isn't really in my neighborhood but Kabobi is within my 'dinner radius.' I've been aware of the place but have been sleeping on it. Dat lamb tho, outstanding stuff.

Attempted an order here tonight and discovered that if I wanted dill rice with my entree it would be an additional $1.95. A tiny side of cilantro tahini - $1.75. Garlic sauce - $2.25. Hot sauce - $1.95.
Felt very “nickel & dimed”. Would rather they just add a dollar or two to the entree price but I think they may have already done that as well. A very modest order of three entrees and one appetizer of hummus was coming out to over $100 before tax and a tip to the driver.
I then tried Noon O Kebab and they are doing the same thing - upcharging for dill rice and sauces where they previously had not.
Placed our order with Salam. Everything was delicious, plenty of tahini and hot sauces for no extra charge. Total was $86 with tax/tip.
I do get it, that everything is more expensive right now, labor, rent, raw costs, etc…but as a consumer it’s driving me to shop around more than I ever used to. As well as, of course, cook at home more.

LynnB wrote:I do get it, that everything is more expensive right now, labor, rent, raw costs, etc…but as a consumer it’s driving me to shop around more than I ever used to. As well as, of course, cook at home more.

I'm torn on this, too. I get it, I get it, I get it, and yet . . . it still doesn't sit quite right with me. It's not the price that's the deal-breaker, it's the principle. But it's hard to stand on on that particular principle when it's clear that places are struggling so right now. Tough times for the restaurant industry for sure. They're damned if they do and damned if they don't.

=R=

Not saying I like it either but I try and put it into this perspective.

We've been paying (and continue to) way too little for places like Kabobi. Think about those lunch specials that they offer which are now 11.95. That prices it at ~1.5 times a burrito bowl at Chipotle. You're getting probably twice as much food and obviously better quality at Kabobi.

It's jarring since it's a ~50% price hike in recent times but I also understand what restaurants have to do to stay marginally profitable. I prefer they raise prices and give us the option to shop around vs closing altogether bc they are in the red.

And Im totally with you that I'd rather restaurants include total costs into their dishes. But I know how poorly that goes over with the dining public. Any price increases are heavily scrutinized, so they're left with little choice.

I swear im not a part of BIG RESTAURANT. . But the more I hear about restaurants and their struggles, I'm so appreciative of how cheap dining out prices are, relative to their costs. If restaurants were charging like any other industry, we'd be paying way more than we are today.

A broken model since the start that the plague put under a microscope. We're spoiled by what we believe should be cheap. Good food usually isn't (or @ least should be more expensive than it is/or what we believe it should be). Lots of approaches which we'll have to indulge the industry for a bit to see what wins out.

From yesterday's Eater:
"To properly explore Kerala’s rich culinary history, Thattu’s kitchen staff needs unique skills, like understanding Indian cooking techniques, and how to properly sautee foods and infuse them with ghee and spices. To retain and attract talent who possess those abilities, Kalathil knew the restaurant needed to offer competitive wages and full health care benefits, and so, Thattu will not rely on tips and won’t tack on a service charge. “We feel that it is the right time to take the next step and have a transparent all-inclusive price,” Kalathil says.

Administering a surcharge would have kept menu prices lower, but consumer pushback has been rising and they don’t want to worry about it. At its pop-ups, Thattu would charge around $12 for its Kerala fried chicken sandwich. They’re still working on exact pricing, but the sandwich will cost a little more, yet stay under $16: “Which I think is still a great price for a chicken sandwich,” Kalathil says.

Before deciding to become a no-tipping restaurant, Pak and Kalathil consulted with other restaurants and Raise High Road Restaurants, a national organization that promotes race, gender, and wage equity at restaurants. Lula Cafe, Split-Rail, and Wherewithall are among Chicago restaurants that don’t expect diners to pay gratuities.

Still, Kalathil is nervous about how customers will react. For one, Thattu’s prices will be higher versus the competition. Indian restaurants with giant menus or buffets often have items with interchangeable sauces that keep costs down. Restaurants with more curated and homestyle menus, like Thattu, will need to charge more. And a high price point will always be more of a problem for certain international restaurants. Indian food is often the subject of “cheap eats” features."

Another option: Cook at Home?
This option requires an extensive array of spices to make Masalas or you can purchase blends.
Mustard oil, ghee, asafetida, lentils, rices, ginger/garlic paste and pickles to name a-few things.
Thank goodness for Patel’s!!!
Fresh Indian vegetables such as Methi and Indian Yogurt and Paneer.
There is limited carry out and we usually get some form of Thepla.
Naan I can easily make at home.
But it also requires time!
-Richard