Indian entrepreneur and YouTuber Ishan Sharma probably didn’t anticipate the storm his food bill would stir online. After enjoying a fancy vegetarian meal at an upscale restaurant, Sharma took to X (formerly Twitter) to appreciate their “no service charge” policy.
But instead of applause, all he got was trolls, memes, and a collective gasp over the ₹10,030 bill for what was essentially paneer and parathas.
The now-viral receipt featured dishes like paneer khurchan, daal bukhara, paneer makhani, khasta roti, and pudina parantha. Seems wholesome, right? Not until you zoom in and notice that the paneer makhani alone was priced at ₹2,900, and three parathas cost a humble ₹1,125. A single roti? ₹375. Naturally, the Internet had things to say.
One user humorously commented, “Jitne paise aapne paneer makhani ke pay kiye hain, utne mein Darbhanga University mein MA ho jaati hai.” (Translation: “The amount you paid for paneer makhani could get you a Master’s degree at Darbhanga University.”) Another quipped that the ₹375 roti is worth more than some meals on Zomato.
Many users called out the absurdity of applauding the absence of a service charge when the menu itself was financial trauma. “Bro, they charged ₹375 for a roti. They don’t need a service charge anymore,” a user mocked. Another chimed in, “Increase the prices to the point that the service charge becomes redundant. Genius!”
The online uproar soon spiraled into creative alternatives for spending ₹10,030. A user suggested skipping the meal and getting “a weekend getaway or maybe a pair of premium earphones instead.” Others couldn’t help but wonder if Sharma got conned into paying hidden charges disguised as “premium paneer pricing.”
Sharma’s original intent was to praise the restaurant’s transparent billing, but the focus quickly shifted to the jaw-dropping prices. In hindsight, perhaps posting the bill wasn’t the best idea.
While most of us can’t relate to dropping ₹10k on paneer, the incident highlights an ongoing debate: Is dining out becoming ridiculously overpriced? Or are we just not ready for these “Khasta Roti Economy” vibes yet?
Let us know what you think while you eat your ₹25 paratha at home.