Pancake Parlour - The Biggest Rip Off in The Food Industry?

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Pancake Parlour

• 

  Flying Ace on 16/07/2017 - 19:45

  +5

  I've found that there are some food items that have just become ridiculously expensive. Pies from a local pie shop are now $6.50, when a few years ago they were $3. Everything goes up except wages.

  • 

    Diji1 on 16/07/2017 - 19:59

    -6

    Indeed.

    Generally speaking wages have not keep up with inflation for about 40 years whilst the tax burden has increasingly being shifted onto individuals and the poorest individuals at that. For example we have the GST thanks to John Howard (who is also a war criminal, just a wonderful man all round).

    A vote for Labour or a vote for Liberal is a vote for this to continue!

    • 

      jason101 on 16/07/2017 - 20:14

      +12

      I'm a bit lost with this argument - In your argument prices are too high, but wages are too low. So if we live in this version of reality and wages were to rise substantially what do you think would happen to the prices?

      It's 7.36pm Sunday night - Lets say the Pancake Parlor is open right now - how much do you think the wage cost to keep the place open is per hour at the moment (assuming 4 staff members - short order chef, register worker, plate clearer, kitchen hand)? I'd be suggesting its wage cost is around $200 per hour.

      Following a pretty basic restaurant rule of 33% Food Cost 33% Business Cost 33% Wages Cost if Wages are $200 per hour, the business would have to be turning over about $600 per hour to remain viable tonight.

      If a stack of pancakes is $20 and they sell only this product, they would have to sell 30 stacks every hour to make it worthwhile having the doors open (in my version of reality) - this is 1 per every 2 minutes they are open on a Sunday night.

      Are they doing this ?

      If no - they probably aren't charging enough and or their wages are too high.

      I'm a scrooge like most people around here - but if I want to eat a Pancake late at night on a weekend and I'm not at McDonalds, I know the true cost of providing me with the pancake is actually pretty high.

      • 

        airal3rt on 16/07/2017 - 20:45

        I'm a bit lost with your argument - it seems you can't see the forest for the trees.

        In a scenario where wages roughly keep up with inflation, there's not some magically created currency entering the economy that somehow becomes surplus and then drives up prices rendering the whole thing moot - that's not how that works. The same amount of money would exist within the economy as it does now, it would just be distributed more justly amongst the working class and not exclusively hoarded by wealthy business owners.

      • 

        ProspectiveDarkness on 16/07/2017 - 21:08

        (a) given the rates cuts, your $200 wage estimate is $50 too high, you can look up the award if you want. Many fast food businesses have also been pushing their casuals to part time, which would further decrease hourly labour cost.

        (b) as OP noted, a pancake is simple and its ingredients ought to be exceedingly cheap. Cost of goods should be lower than your average restaurant. This, along with the corrected wages, justifies lowering the hourly total to $450, I think.

        (c) you fail to take into account the accompanying drink (and the fact they sell more expensive meals, but I won't touch that). Given most people would buy a drink with their meal (let's call it a $7 average, ranging between a soft drink and a milkshake), we'll raise total individual sale value to $27.

        So now we have $450 / $27 = ~17 individual sales.

        But then take into account that most people don't dine alone. Call it an average of three people per party, ranging between couples and groups of 4, and you have only ~5-6 separate parties per hour needed to attend to break even. Which I wouldn't consider that many, for a dinner period of ~7:30PM. If you consider that number of patrons too generous for a realistic Sunday night, then you can send one of the wait staff home, as they won't be needed. But if a business has trouble pulling in 6 parties for a dinner rush (especially one such as the Pancake Parlour, which ought to be geared towards a night crowd) I'd seriously doubt if they were viable to open at all.

        And yet, somehow, Pancake Parlour does still open. So things must still be working out in their favour. Even if they recently were forced to pay their employees a modern wage, after years of ripping them off. So colour me a tad doubtful of your Pancake Parlour's "woe is me" disposition.

    • 

      spackbace on 16/07/2017 - 20:56

      +1

      Liberal were going to bring in the GST, it's been mentioned before.

      And none of the minor parties would even know how to balance the books and would be lost.

      So what next, you want to be like North Korea?

      • 

        Wystri Warrick on 17/07/2017 - 04:57

        +1

        ? :)

• 

  Ocker on 16/07/2017 - 19:46

  +1

  Totally agree with you………….. Went there about 12 months ago and was gobsmacked with the bill for what was basically a snack.
  Vowed then I would never return.

• 

  dasher86 on 16/07/2017 - 19:49

  +18

  Who pays full price for pancake parlour?
  Please hand in your membership…

• 

  Diji1 on 16/07/2017 - 19:51

  +1

  I went there for breakfast once after a booze filled all nighter.

  Never went back again.

• 

  airal3rt on 16/07/2017 - 19:54

  Even with half price or buy one get one free coupons it still feels a little iffy value wise for the food you actually get. Full price? Forget it.

• 

  Savas on 16/07/2017 - 20:21

  +1

  yes

• 

  CyberMurning on 16/07/2017 - 20:35

  +1

  The same with pancakes on the rock in Sydney.
  They rip tourists off, they don't care because tourists won't come back in near future anyway. Local don't eat there.

• 

  cheepwun on 16/07/2017 - 20:44

  +3

  The true tightarse fiscally-responsible know the prices before ordering.

• 

  slow on 16/07/2017 - 20:47

  +1

  Agree completely. Once made the mistake of going there and even with a voucher it was a ripoff.

• 

  cheepo on 16/07/2017 - 21:14

  I'm happy to see that they are still in business but frankly surprised given how much competition we have around now. So many places now serve pancakes as part of their regular menu (some just as good) and often for cheaper prices.

  Most of the Melbourne stores I'm familiar with are in prime locations and perhaps may be a contributing factor to their continued success. There would be some huge markups on an average stack of pancakes so I'm sure that helps also (does anybody actually know how much?).

  Regardless, I always find it fascinating to see so many people eating there (normally young) on the occasion I walk past one on a weekend. They've gotten a little too pricey for me also and normally only indulgence myself if I have some sort discount/coupon or when I have no say in the matter.

  • 

    smux on 17/07/2017 - 11:12

    Can you name an alternative that is open late at night like a lot of pancake parlours are? There's even some 24 hour parlours.

    • 

      cheepo on 17/07/2017 - 15:45

      Some Mcdonalds, Hungry Jacks and Krispy Kreme stores in Melbourne operate 24 hours over the weekend. If you're wanting pancakes specifically, I know Lazy Moes and Max Brenner serve them and they're open till late.

      Plenty of other late night eating options in and around the CBD, Brunswick, Fitzroy and South Yarra though. I just don't eat out often enough in these areas to give you a comprehensive list. Content with my locals.

• 

  altomic on 16/07/2017 - 21:42

  +1

  I've got a recipe for pancakes that matches the pancake parlour pancakes exactly. I only go to the Brisbane pancake place to redeem my kids birthday free stacks (they get the free stacks - I actually order something)

  • 

    ELH05 on 17/07/2017 - 15:15

    +2

    Can you share it ???

    • 

      altomic on 17/07/2017 - 18:21

      recipe

      I'd suggest mixing all the dry ingredients together in one bowl and then mixing all the wet ingredients together in another bowl (make sure you sour the milk with vinegar first, and then add melted butter and egg)

      once they are all mixed together well in seperate bowls then combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.

      don't over mix. mix only till well mixed and stop.

• 

  Sage on 16/07/2017 - 22:08

  +1

  coz it's Australian.

  I agree it's crazy to ask for $20 for some pancakes, though I hardly ever eat out.

• 

  JimmyF on 16/07/2017 - 22:13

  Gotta pay those staff wages somehow……..

  But yes, who goes for pancakes without a 2 for 1!

• 

  SydStrand on 16/07/2017 - 22:17

  +1

  It's no different from $4-5 coffee that costs about 20c to make. You pay the premium for convenience, seating, WiFi, a power plug, etc.

• 

  x2r9ypbj on 17/07/2017 - 09:12

  Pancake Parlour must be ok sponsored on 3aw

• 

  smux on 17/07/2017 - 11:18

  +1

  The only thing good about pancake parlour is that, at least in Melbourne, they have a few locations which are either open pretty late at night or are open 24 hours. That makes it a good location to hang out with friends late at night because it's clean, inviting, and the service is usually good. As opposed to the usually filthy McDonald's and hungry jacks which I wouldn't want to spend more than 10 minutes in.

  Are there many other restaurant, Cafe type places that have as comfortable sitting arrangements (ie conducive to socialising with the booth seats) that are open late apart from this place? I guess there's a few on lygon, but I wouldn't say they're as comfortable as pancake parlour

• 

  caferider on 17/07/2017 - 11:54

  Altomic. … I'd be interested to know your pancake recipe please 😂

  I will never eat at pancake parkour !

• 

  Roney on 17/07/2017 - 17:32

  Belgian pancakes at Gelare are nicer and a lot cheaper. Too bad they are only in QLD and WA.

• 

  backpaqer on 17/07/2017 - 20:39

  +1

  They have a special on this week…
  http://winterparlour.com.au/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=W…

  It's going to be 2C on Friday morning!!!

• 

  cheapisgood on 17/07/2017 - 21:37

  +2

  How come you didn't partake in the Winter Parlour Promotion? You would have paid way less regardless of what time you were there.

• 

  lainey13 on 17/07/2017 - 21:46

  If you sign up to their emails they have a stack load of offers every month, they hand out vouchers like lollies and there's an ent book voucher! The only people who would pay full price for Pancake Parlour are the people who pay full price for cinema tickets!

• 

  stevensx on 17/07/2017 - 22:11

  Admittedly I almost always search for a voucher before going out anywhere. On this particular occasion I was out with friends, their idea to go not so much mine. Didn't particularly feel like whipping my phone out and searching online for a voucher like a true tightarse fiscally-responsible person would have….At the end of the day, some places have fair pricing and a voucher just sweetens the deal, any food outlet that requires a voucher to avoid making the consumer from feeling completely ripped off clearly has issues.

  On another note I can see a lot of talk regarding running costs ect.
  All I can say is if I was to go to a fairly average restaurant, Laporchetta etc a large Schnitzel with a generous portion of chips and a salad would be approx $20. I understand the cost of a big chicken fillet, potatoes and salad. It obviously doesn't amount to $20 but there seems to be some sense of value based on what your getting.
  The pancake pancake parlour, how much can a bit of pancake mix to make 2 small pancakes, some chocolate sauce, and a small scoop of ice cream really cost? Those profit margins must be masssive.

  All of the young people I see in there must be using the student menu. Also plays into the fact that a chilled out 24/7 eatery is hard to come by.

• 

  Dr Techno on 18/07/2017 - 23:03

  +1

  I use to go to the pancake parlour probably about once every 2 months when Jamaican Banana pancakes were $12.90 in probably mid 2000's. Then the price a few years later went to $13.90 I went less. then it went to 14.90 or 15.90, thats when I stopped going… ha! just checked the menu, its now $19.90. far out, thats crazy. I prefer to get a whole meal for that price.

  I will definitely take up the winter promotion but would never go at regular prices. Nandos of the pancake world :P

• 

  jerjergege on 20/07/2017 - 13:10

  I use to work for TPP for a 2nd job to earn some extra cash, 1 x 4 hour shift every sunday, i quit when we started getting lower penalty rates. (~$30 an hour dropped to the low 20s)

• 

  ows on 30/10/2017 - 14:12

  Just came back from a group lunch there, still damn hungry after having a value meal of chicken crepe with a coke! Thin and small crepe (one fork long x two forks wide) wrapped with one tiny piece of a diced chicken (half of thumb size) - $17.50! Definitely overpriced! First time and never come back again. The venue was like only 30% full at lunch time. Grilled would make me full for the same price.

• 

  GregMonarch on 30/10/2017 - 21:36

  Is there something I'm missing?

  Yep, the contents of your wallet.