25 per cent hike: Shawarma drama

Restaurants and cafeterias from bustling Bur Dubai to the congested streets of Satwa have hiked the price of shawarmas to compensate for the relative spike in prices of commodities.

A random sampling of eateries in the areas shows that the average price of a chicken or beef shawarma has increased by one dirham – from Dh3 to Dh4 – with some establishments adjusting their prices twice in the first six months of this year.

At Picnic Home, off a busy corner near the Bank Street roundabout in Bur Dubai, a shawarma can be had for Dh4.50.

Pay more

Janet, a food server at the joint, said they used to sell shawarmas at Dh3 apiece, but had to jack up the price to Dh4 at the start of the year, topping it up by 50 fils by mid-year.

Shyrel Iligan, who waits tables at Sabah Lebnan restaurant along Al Musallah Road, said they now sell shawarmas for Dh4 – 50 fils more than their year-ago prices.

"It's not just the price of shawarmas. We had to reduce the size of our manakesh and fruit juices to cope with rising costs," she said, adding that the price of chicken and cooking gas weighed heavily on the restaurant's operating costs.

Abdul Aziz, who mans the cash counter at Hot Burger Restaurant on Bank Street, and Narshad of Al Khayel Cafeteria in Satwa agree with Iligan.

"We used to get a kilo of chicken for just Dh8. Since last week, a kilo costs Dh18," said Abdul Aziz.

Brisk business

But despite the price hikes, shawarma joints still enjoy brisk sales.

"At the end of each day, nothing is left. All sold out," said Iligan.

A way of life

Henry Casas, a signal man at a construction company, said he doesn't mind if his favourite Arabian delight now costs more. "I'm too tired to prepare dinner, so a shawarma is the cheapest and fastest meal in town," he said.

Ariel Gesta, a steward at Fairmont Hotel, said eating shawarmas is a way of life here. "You're not in the Middle East if you don't eat shawarmas."