IPOH: While other operators claim that they have no choice but to raise their food prices, a small restaurant owner at Stadium Perak here has maintained the price of her nasi berlauk at RM3 for years.
Kak Mek’s nasi berlauk is sought after by locals and visitors as the meal is not only cheap but also delicious.
“For RM3, my customers get rice with fried chicken, vegetables and curry gravy. Based on my experience, these are the people’s favourite,” said Noraini Hussein.
The 45 year old from Kelantan said she had been selling the “economy meal” for eight years.
“People know that they can get quality food at an affordable price at my restaurant. If they pay extra, they get a piece of fish and egg,” said Noraini, who operates her restaurant from 9am to 4pm daily.
She said most of the eateries at the stadium also sold their food at reasonable prices, attracting people to have their meals there.
Every day, she said, her customers would queue to buy her nasi berlauk, whose recipe she learnt from her aunt.
“It is a Kelantanese dish that has a bit of Perak flavour,” she said.
Asked whether she could make a profit, Noraini said: “I don’t get much profit from each dish but because of the many customers, I can survive.”
One of her customers, Noridah Johari, 40, said she always brought her family to have lunch at the restaurant as the food was cheap and tasty.