The owner of a cafe has defended her decision to raise prices on social media after receiving negative reviews online.
Jenny, who runs Provender and Family on Parkgate Street in Stoneybatter, increased the cost of all sandwiches in her business to €12 and coffees to €3.60. The decision was made as a result of escalating food and energy costs, which were putting a significant strain on Jenny and her staff.
She says that while the majority of her existing customers were understanding, she received a number of online reviews that exclusively targeted the price increases. She decided to post on Facebook to clarify the heightened costs.
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Jenny told Dublin Live: “My staff work really hard. They’re not choosing to up the prices. No one wants to sell a 12 euro sandwich but that’s the time we live in. There are all sorts of opinions on it. It was worth stating to a wider audience than just the customers of our café.”
Jenny writes in the statement that the decision to raise prices was no “mean feat” but was necessary in order to keep her doors open and ensure her staff were paid properly. She says she understands the frustration that many people feel as a result of the added expense, but that the cost of living crisis has left them with no alternative.
She adds: “They’re entitled to their opinion and we’re entitled to ours. However, these things could have been DMed if they weren’t happy with quality to value. They could have called, said it to us in the shop. If you’re unhappy with something and want to properly complain, maybe an online review isn’t the best way to do that.”
The business was first challenged by expenses in the aftermath of Covid-19 as wage increases forced costs to go up. Jenny is hopeful that energy payments will assist small businesses over the next few months but says the process in receiving them often proves challenging.
She has been inundated with support from local businesses in the same position since writing the post. Jenny’s statement follows several recent restaurant closures across Dublin, as businesses struggle with ongoing inflation.
Vegan Sandwich Co announced the closure of their two Dublin branches last night, citing a spike in rents and food costs as the reason for their departure. The business previously had set up a third location in Rathmines, which had to close after three months in operation due to inflation.
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