Rising Prices or Heightened Perceptions

Springfield students, most of whom purchase food daily from the school’s cafeteria stalls, have complained of rising prices when they advance from one campus to the next.

Speculations of this cause range from inflation adjustments, different rent among campuses, and even the canteen stall owners’ personal greed. In actuality, up to 47.2% of the student population believes that canteen owners charge more due to the fact that older students are trusted with more money.

Although these reasons are strongly believed, an interview with Mrs. Neneng and Mrs. Dede, owners of the stalls, disproved these claims. Mrs. Neneng, owner of the right stall, has been selling in the school canteen for four years. Both canteen stalls sell food ranging from light sugary desserts, drinks and fried food to rice boxes, flour based meals like noodles, and nutritious sides of vegetables and protein. Besides the regular menu, they also provide specialty dishes such as sekba when requested.

When asked of their opinions regarding food prices, Neneng quickly called out “Students here are afraid of high prices! Once something’s priced just a bit higher they’ll go screaming ‘Expensive! Expensive!’.” Unfortunately, this statement proved to be true as displayed by the second stall who stopped business in Springfield, as a result of putting up higher prices though serving higher complexity and quality food. The high prices just scared children away.

Though many stay fearful of high prices, figures marked in PB3 canteen stalls are actually low. Ultimately, the price set for each food depends on the type of food and variety of toppings and ingredients used for each dish served. The canteen stalls are required to serve teachers, students, and staff members with nutritious food and excellent service. Demand for food amongst growing teenagers is high, and canteen employees are giving their all in satisfying every hungry stomach (demonstrated by the 11 litres of rice stocked by the left canteen stall alone daily). With the quality of food given and quick service at each hectic hour, it is much cheaper to purchase food here than outside of school.

In the last five years, both canteen stalls have worked hard to maintain low constant prices. Even when inflation rose—which increased operational costs as well as wages expenses—prices still remained constant and true. Rent have also increased in the last academic year by 10%. The only actual increase in prices was due to the change in styrofoam packaging to less toxic paper boxes. Added with the small percentage of students given grace for often paying in credit, it is admirable how both canteen stalls are still able to sustain the cheap affordable prices.

As of now, Springfield has made no restrictions in limiting the canteen stall business. As stated by Neneng “They have always supported us”. Currently in their fifth year, they plan to increase food prices by the next academic year.