‘Would you pay for this?’: Café’s pricey brunch leaves a sour note on palates and hip pockets

In the heart of Western Australia, a seemingly innocent brunch outing has set social media ablaze, after a customer took to social media to share her shock at the high cost of the morning meal.

The incident, which unfolded at a popular café in Perth, has ignited a wave of disbelief among fellow Aussies, who are questioning whether the simple offering should come with such a hefty price tag.

It all began when Tania Lewis decided to indulge in a Sunday breakfast treat, little did she know that her $19 poached eggs and bacon would turn into a viral sensation.

Taking to the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Lewis shared a snapshot of the underwhelming meal, which included two poached eggs, two slices of basic white bread, a couple of bacon rashers, and two Devondale natural butter sachets.

“$19 breakfast in Busselton. Would you pay for this?” she captioned the post.

$19 breakfast at Bussellton. Would you pay for this? pic.twitter.com/GxW4JLMD5B

— Tania Lewis🇦🇺 (@TaniaLe84494434) January 7, 2024

Aussies took to social media to express their frustration over the pricey brunch, sparking a wave of shared disbelief and questioning whether the meal was worth the cost.

Doesn’t seem that long ago that this would have been a $10 or $12 tops!

— Sean (@Seaninaper) January 7, 2024

No friggin way.

No effort at all.

— Buntz#23..👊👊👊 (@Bergermeister23) January 7, 2024

I’d send it straight back without touching it and get a refund. That’s just taking the piss.

— Human Touch I.T. (@human_touch_i_t) January 7, 2024

I would only pay that for a full loaded breakfast.. bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomato, home made baked beans, hashbrown, relish on side with bread of choice!

— Emancipatory Channeling (@EmancipatoryC) January 7, 2024

Take it back, leave & not pay. That’s disgusting.

— Kenneth Moore (@kaakoda_moore) January 7, 2024

Our dollars don’t get us much anymore.

— Tania Lewis🇦🇺 (@TaniaLe84494434) January 7, 2024

As Aussies debate whether the cost is justified, the hope of a reprieve from the ever-rising pressure associated with the cost of living may finally be on the horizon.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently teased measures aimed at providing much-needed relief for Australians grappling with the rising cost of living.

During his first press conference for 2024, Albanese said the government wants to offer support to Australians “who are feeling pressure as a result of global inflation”.

When pushed for specifics, Albanese revealed that he has requested “Treasury and Finance” to consider what measures “can take pressure off families on cost-of-living without putting pressure on inflation”.

“That’s the key issue here. If you were just to distribute additional cash to people, you potentially make inflation worse, and therefore don’t help to solve the problem – that is the objective,” he said.

“And that’s why, for example, in the energy price relief plan we designed, it has actually been more effective than what was predicted and anticipated.

“Because instead of giving cheques to people, it reduced their bills substantially and we worked that through with Treasury and Finance and it made a substantial difference in a reduction of wholesale prices.”