Mar del Plata vs. Pinamar: how much is needed to eat on the beach

The gastronomy of the Coast agreed not to increase the prices of dishes and drinks to match the inflation that, year-on-year, borders one hundred percent.

"We do not try to save the year with the clients,

," was the conclusion of several informal meetings, according to what the owners of bars, restaurants and beach bars from the different provinces

told

. beaches of Mar del Plata and Pinamar.

Singing tests: there is much more economic availability of the vacationer in this incipient 2023 than in the same period last year.

"Although it is premature to have a reliable perspective, these five days of the year set a pattern, a direction and why not think that this course will continue," predicts Marta García, owner of the bar located in Arenas de Las Toscas, Mar del Plata, behind the tents.

Friendly and generous despite being the noon

, García bets on the menu of the day every day.

Posters taped to the windows advertise coleslaw salad, with rice, carrots, cabbage, tomato and prawns for

.

A year ago that same dish was $1,290.

"Except for specific dishes, we

and the idea is not to touch prices during the summer. We do not have a profit margin, but we bet that we work every day."

The large subtraction is at 80% capacity.

Hot dogs ($400) are in great demand on beaches like Punta Iglesias, Casino and Popular.

Photo Gabriel Bulacio

As this medium was able to verify during the hour he was in the premises, the

are one of the most requested dishes.

The portion costs

and in 2022 it was $1,590.

The picadas are also requested because they bring milanesas, chicken, cheese and cheddar potatoes.

For two people it costs $1,890 ($1,390 a year ago) and for four $3,660 ($2,500).

(ham, cheese, egg and fries)

does not go unnoticed .

They can share three children or two adults and has a value of

($1,350 in 2022).

"Our philosophy is simple: large portion and quality," Garcia says.

The drinks, where an economic difference is usually sought, are in price: the half-liter sodas are at

($250 a year ago), the liter beer

($450) and the cans $420 ($320 ).

"I think January continued the momentum of December, when

compared to last year. I must admit that I'm surprised, I didn't expect these, but many customers made it clear to me: 'If we go, we go out and if we go out, we spend.' And It seems healthy to me after how hard the pandemic was. Will I be able to maintain the prices? With the suppliers I was clear: don't keep the price, I won't buy you more".

At Las Toscas, the bar behind the tents fills up every noon due to prices and warmth.

Photo Gabriel Bulacio

In Playa Bristol, the images, almost choreographic, are repeated: on the one hand, families betting on

, which cost

and corn, also at $400, and fruit salads, chosen especially by women .

"43 panchitos sold, really well," says René, the vendor who went to replace the merchandise.

"This moves more after four in the afternoon."

Regarding the behavior of the people at the economic level, he notes "a positive and optimistic attitude, much more than last year, when each hot dog earned $250."

Santino, from Santiago, recently arrived in La Feliz to sell fruit salads, raised his spirits.

"In this last hour I sold 10 in a row, but it was bad. I see that people consume, but they buy little for me. I know that $ 600 is not little money, but it costs me a lot.

Now I make them with oranges, bananas, and strawberries," says the vendor who in December quoted them at $400. Sebastián greets him, exhausted, freeing himself for a few minutes from the 30 kilos of drinks that load in your fridge.

"I don't give more, I have traveled about 20 kilometers and there we are, people choose the mate", he smiles.

In Playa Grande the corn is one of the vedettes.

At $400 pesos per day, between 200 and 250 units are sold daily.

Photo Gabriel Bulacio

In his ice cream parlor he carries water, soft drinks and beers.

"These are reasonable prices, we don't want to scare the customer away. Half-liter water and soft drinks are $100 pesos more than last year, I have them at $400. And

and last summer $350. We didn't go up twice as much as everything increased", points out Sebastián from Mar del Plata.

"I still see other intentions in people, they don't deprive themselves so much."

​In the Casino beach bar there are three disorderly lines that stress the two employees who serve.

"The food is at a good price, it didn't increase that much," says Carmen and Carlos, who have been here for 30 years.

The

are what comes out the most, but there are also many cones of fries ($400) and corn ($400).

"We

. We know that

", reports Mirta, the manager, in a brief parenthesis.

Many vacationers take a "break" from the beach and eat in the bars and restaurants located in the resorts.

Photo Gabriel Bulacio

Next door, right next to it, Javier Varela -introduces himself- sells water and cream ice creams.

"I am at an average of

, but I want to reach 300. I know that I am far away, but because of the people there I have to achieve it and the merchandise, which is reliable, is at a price.

(last year at $200) and the cream one at $400 ($300)".

He apologizes, has to start another hour of peddling.

The La Popular beach bar is managed with promotions "that are giving very good results," remarks Mabel, cook and manager.

"We have 6 menus at a very good price".

The A costs $650 and it is a superpancho with pie potatoes and flavored water.

The B, $1,300, comes with a hamburger and cheese, fries and a drink.

The C, $850, is a full burger and drink.

The D, $1,000, is a salad of your choice (rice, mixed greens, carrot, egg and tomato) and drink.

The E, $800, is a choripán with drink and the F, $1,000, is a complete milanesa with drink.

Drinks, juices and smoothies are very popular and prices range from $300 to $800.

Photo Gabriel Bulacio

Attached to Mabel's, a beach bar "shoots" street vendors towards the sand of the central beaches.

"French potato cones and corn are a classic. We have them at $500 and $400 respectively, barely a hundred pesos more than last year," says Aníbal, "Another thing that is selling well are the

. They worked last year and are now in high demand."

In

is Los Lobos, a place that looks much less than what it offers, which is a heterogeneous menu and, in some way, shows the tendency of vacationers to eat after three in the afternoon.

"Everything has run out, this summer it's hard for people to start but when they do it shows in the movement," says Martín, who works with his parents and says that the

are one of the most requested dishes.

"We have a good portion to share. Has it increased? Last year it was $1,200."

The lollipop is back.

"It has an outlet, as always, and it costs $100," said the vendor located in Playa Alfonsina.

Photo Gabriel Bulacio

The young vendor says that "our specialty is sandwiches and on our best-seller podium are Milanese ($650), bondiola ($700) and tenderloin ($700). "We barely increased 25% compared to last January and although this is starting, we feel that there is a good vibe, you know?

We are betting that the vacationers who come to this beach return every day for quality and price, not that they run away in fear".

Omar has a tray with chicken legs at La Perla and is surprised by the good response.

"I started this year and the truth is that it works, I think it's a different product, that you don't see much in the sand. I charge $450 for five legs and I sell them all because they are dry, not oily at all."

A few meters away, a loud voice is heard announcing "soft drinks and juices, 300 pesos."

Show the little ice cream and there are few units left.

"It comes out a lot, they are cheap and people have a few more mangoes in their pockets."

Last year?

"They were at $200 and it was a lot more tied up."

The prices of eating on the beach in Pinamar

In Pinamar and surroundings the prices are always a little more expensive.

survey

, the difference is around

between one destination and another.

But the merchants share the policy of not fully transferring the increase in costs due to inflation to preserve the volume of sales.

The owner of La Gamba, La Serena, Tante and Divisadero, Marcelo Leuzzi, explained in a note to

that the menu increased by around 75% compared to the 2022 season. our customers because it would be crazy, so unfortunately we have to lower profit margins”, he points out.

It does not have to do only with the inflation of food products, they explain from the Parador La Pérgola, in Valeria del Mar, where they explain that prices in gastronomy increased by 80 percent.

"Everything is tied to the increase in the

for the concession and also in relation to the salaries of the workers, who in many cases come especially to work here and have to be able to pay the rent," continues Martín Jaureguí. , who together with Marcelo Palacio, manages the spa. 

In Pinamar the squid rings are available from $2,400 to $3,800 depending on the place.

Photo German Garcia Adrasti / Special Envoy

The squid rings are one of the favorite dishes this season for those who want to have a snack without leaving the beach.

In Pinamar the price can vary up to 100% depending on the place, from $2,400 to $3,800

The cheapest price found by

was in Valeria del Mar (La Serena, $2,400 a portion), followed by a hostel in Pinamar Norte (Crocodile, $2,800).

The hostels in Ostende, such as Puerto Ostende, El Faro, La Ramba and Barlovento, charge it for $3,000, while in Cariló, Pinamar Norte and La Frontera it was around $3,800.

From the Parador Nómade, in La Frontera, they clarify that the dune area north of Pinamar offers specific difficulties for gastronomy.

Suppliers don't come because all-terrain vehicles are needed and they don't have electricity or gas either.

Hence, some prices are higher compared to the average.

At the La Gamba inn, the

and the

A small coffee, $490. At La Pérgola, a soda costs $510, while a complete hamburger with fries costs $2,200.

On the beach you can also feel the price difference compared to Mar del Plata.

In general, in La Feliz the corn with butter and salt is available for $400, while in Pinamar for $500.

Churros, the classic of beach afternoons

On La Rambla, about a hundred meters away, are the

.

"There is healthy competition, everything is fine, it is not easy to compete with Manolo," says José Luis, from Mingo, who has a

$800 for half a dozen and $150 per unit.

Manolo, his most famous street neighbor is more expensive:

."

In Pinamar, the dozen churros at El Topo cost $1,500.

Line to buy churros at El Topo, in Pinamar.

Photo German Garcia Adrasti / Special Envoy

Close Margarita has her candy cart but people dribble it.

"It's complicated, let's hope to lift", he makes it known.

He says that the manzanita and the snowflakes are $250 ($200 last summer) and the caramelized and popcorns are $200, 50 more than a year ago.

"Today, where do you eat for $1,500? Mar del Plata is very democratic and adapts to all pockets. And it is clear that the tourist notices it, I have queues all the time," says María Elena, in charge of a stall of meals in La Perla.

"I only went up 40% and last year's client continues to choose me, trust me."

The complete Milanese with a drink costs $1,400.

"It's the specialty, what comes out the most."

Then there are the complete hamburgers for $800. They also provide alcoholic beverages: fernet and strawberry daikiri, both liters, for $1,200 each.

Beach bars have grown along the Mar del Plata coast with a wide variety of food and drinks.

Photo Gabriel Bulacio

For Nicolás Torres, manager of HollyFood, "there is something striking this summer. People are happy, tolerant and less complaining. Is it because of the World Cup, is it because it is the first post-covid summer? Something has changed in the mood and that It is evident in gastronomy", he formulates.

And he adds: "Since you can't buy dollars, traveling abroad is complicated, much less investing in a car or a house, so the tourist's thought is:

I tell you that it surprises : The menu does not ask for much. Here they say 'bring me the shredded bondiola with potatoes', which is our top dish and costs $1,600".

Report: Rocío Magnani

Mar del Plata and Pinamar.

special envoys

MG

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