San Francisco restaurant owner sparks outrage after charging $22 for burrito

San Francisco-based Mexican restaurant La Vaca Birria has received criticism after doubling their prices for burritos from $11 to $22.

The San Francisco-based restaurant La Vaca Birria caused uproar after they doubled the price of their burritos from $11 to $22. The reason, owner Ricardo Lopez argued, is not in an attempt to make more money, but an attempt to continue to break even as prices for everything rise.

Their signature burrito is the most popular and nearly every ingredient that goes into it has doubled in cost. That’s the reason the owner said its price has, too.

“Before COVID, [onions] were like $9 a sack at Restaurant Depot, I used to pick them up. During COVID, and after, it was $40 dollars. Right now, it’s $80,” Lopez told NBC News.

The reason for the high costs is because of Lopez’s decision to buy premium beef to make his birria, as well as making all of the ingredients from scratch – except for the tortillas which he gets from a local shop.

“The food that you make in your pueblo back in Mexico, it’s very labor intensive,” said Lopez. “And the only way you get that here is at those fine dining restaurants, doing everything from scratch.”

People spark outrage after restaurant double prices

People have taken to social media to express their feelings about the big price increase, and they were not impressed.

One person wrote: “$22 for beans rice and cheese with some meat? LMAOOOOOO Bro, naw… Support your local Taco Truck making these all day same size for 8-9$..”

A second person wrote: “If that’s what he has to do break even then I predict he is well on his way to being out of business sooner rather than later. Pack it in, Senor Lopez.”

“God damn inflation. No burritos should cost that much. Hell, even $11 is a stretch. It’s supposed to be a poor man’s food, a working man’s food,” another user wrote.

However, several people stood up for Lopez and his price increases. One person argued: “My view – if he sells the right mix of $22 burritos to customers willing and buying, then that is great for his business and his customers.”

“A doubling in price all at once means he’s been absorbing the costs on behalf of his customers, hoping that costs would come down. I hope he didn’t wait too long,” a second person wrote.