An online discourse on which is cheaper between karinderya and a certain fast food chain has opened talks about the increasingly expensive costs of food.
This came after an online user posted on X (formerly Twitter) about how eating in karinderya is cheaper than in McDonald’s. The post went viral, garnering 3.8 millions views and 20,000 likes so far.
“‘Mcdo is the cheapest option for me rn’ no it’s not. There is a karinderya right there”, the X user said.
The online user went on to explain in the same thread that the tweet pertained to people who refused to participate in the McDonald’s boycott amid the Israel-Gaza war.
However, the post has since spiraled into a conversation regarding steep food prices when another X user quoted the post, disagreeing with it.
“Tell me hindi ka nagkakarinderya without telling me hindi ka nagkakarinderya,” it read.
“Kaka-rant ko lang neto na 65-80+ pesos na ang ulam sa karinderya wala pang kanin 🥲 Kung sobrang busy, yung presyo ng mga lutong bahay for delivery sa compound namin, mas mahal pa sa fast food delivery,” the Filipino X user added.
It currently has 2.7M views and 14,000 likes.
The X user then clarified that they did not mean to defend those who eat at McDonald’s and do not participate in the boycott.
They explained that the bad economy of the country is to blame as to why it got to a point where eating out in fast food chains has become more convenient than in karinderyas.
Ala-carte solo meals from McDonald’s in delivery apps can range from P79 to P150.
“I think ang dapat pag awayan ay kung bakit ang mahal na ng mga bilihin ngayon at kung sino dapat ang panagutin sa kapalpakan ng econ policies ng gobyerno. Hindi kung alin sa karinderya o fast food ang mas mura,” a labor rights advocate posted.
The average inflation rate for the year 2023 is 6.0%, a bit higher than 2022’s 5.8%, according to the National Economic and Development Authority.
READ: Philippine annual inflation at 2.8% in January
Meanwhile, others were quick to provide context regarding the whole karinderya vs fast food chain discourse, saying that it’s about the boycott.
The McDonald’s brand has suffered from concerns over the company’s stance in the Gaza conflict.
McDonald’s Israel was reported to have donated food to the Israeli Defense Forces and hospitals in Israel, a move frowned upon by those who don’t support Israel’s attacks in Gaza.