Malaysians question whether viral food trends are driving up prices after RM15 banana cekodok and RM26 chicken rice sparked widespread criticism online.
THE rising cost of living has made dining out increasingly expensive for many Malaysians, with even everyday favourites such as nasi lemak and pan mee now carrying price tags that would have seemed unreasonable just a few years ago.
As inflation and operating costs continue to climb, some consumers believe certain food vendors have gone beyond covering higher expenses, charging premium prices for dishes traditionally regarded as affordable comfort food.
The debate resurfaced after a Threads user claimed Malaysians had “enabled” food vendors to charge increasingly high prices for local fare.
The post referred to the recent sale of nine pieces of banana cekodok for RM15 by the owner of a popular local eatery, a pricing decision that triggered widespread criticism online.
“RM26 chicken rice. RM15 banana cekodok. Does it make any sense? These are two foods that don’t exactly require expensive ingredients,” the post read.
The comments section quickly filled with users lamenting what they described as the growing “gentrification” of Malaysian street food.
Many argued that traditional snacks and meals should remain affordable and continue to be sold by small roadside stall operators rather than being turned into premium offerings.
One user said: “Before this, everyone would ignore the makcik selling cekodok for cheap. You all wouldn’t even look at roadside stalls twice. When someone is selling it for RM15, now you want to buy it. Only now does everyone appreciate the cheaper cekodok.”
Another commenter pleaded: “I don’t need premium-quality ingredients. Bring back the makcik gerai.”
Others echoed similar sentiments, saying they would rather support neighbourhood hawkers selling simple, reasonably priced food than pay significantly more for what they viewed as ordinary local dishes marketed as premium products.
