The Golden Age of Lapa: This has undoubtedly been one of the most popular street food dishes for decades, but it seems that there has never been such a great demand for shawarma as now. The beloved dish has undergone a lot of change in recent years due to its soaring price, turning it from a basic and accessible meal to a dish that some cannot afford. Our examination shows that the price of shawarma in pita can reach 49 shekels, and on a plate – 75 shekels. According to industry estimates, the price of an average dish that includes all serving options – pita, lapa and plate – was NIS 2022 in 65, compared with NIS 52 in 2021, an increase of about 25%.
As mentioned, the shawarma dishes have become inaccessible. An examination we conducted in branches across the country shows that the price of shawarma in pita ranges from 30 to 49 shekels, and on a plate between 50 and 75 shekels.
Shawarma dish // Photo: Liron Moldovan // Shawarma dish // Photo: Liron Moldovan,
In the "Dabush" shawarma in Bnei Brak, shawarma in pita costs 49 shekels and in a plate 75 shekels. In the "Yashka" shawarma in Ramat Aviv, shawarma in pita costs 49 shekels and in a plate 72 shekels. "At Ronen's Shawarma" in Beer Sheva, pita costs 43 shekels and a plate 65 shekels. At the "Garboli" shawarma in Sderot, pita costs 42 shekels and a plate 60 shekels. At the "Billy" shawarma in Haifa, pita costs 41 shekels and a plate 60 shekels. At the "Haoman" shawarma in Eilat, pita costs 40 shekels and a plate 69 shekels, including drinks. In the "Turkish" shawarma in Jerusalem, pita costs 35 shekels and a plate 55 shekels, and in the "Street" shawarma in Rishon LeZion, pita costs 30 shekels and a plate 50 shekels.
"Their profitability has eroded"
Shai Berman, CEO of the Israel Restaurant Association, commented on the rising prices, saying: "There is an increase in the price of raw materials, especially meat, which has become tens of percent more expensive. In the restaurant industry, shawarma is considered one of the least profitable products, because the main raw material, meat, is very expensive. There is also wear and tear, because when you put up a shawarma skewer and don't finish it, you can't use it the next day. Meat and poultry prices have risen by more than 20 per cent in the past year. Everything got more expensive, like the pita bread and the bakes. The price of the chips has increased by tens of percent.
"Also, the standard today of shawarmas is a lot of fresh salads prepared on site, and that's what customers expect to receive. It requires a lot of manpower and preparation. That's why it's not just the meat, but also the things around. Beyond that, you need to add the usual parameters of the cost of living. Everything is expensive here and continues to get more expensive, so what do you expect - for the shawarma to be cheap?
"One of the businesses is called 'The Magician,' but the owners of shawarmas are not magicians. They need to run a business, and that means rent, regulation, personnel cost and more. These costs ultimately affect shawarmas, restaurants, retailers and every other sector of the economy. The expectation that it will be cheap is disconnected from the economic reality in the State of Israel.
"Their profitability has eroded. On the one hand, it is perceived as a popular and basic product, and customers expect cheap food, and on the other hand, the business owner is trapped, because he wants to remain cheap and attractive, but the business model does not allow. Today very high quality raw materials and good chunks are used. It's not like in the past, when they used to use leftover raw material and put on a skewer. So they try to absorb the costs as much as possible."
The employee costs more
Bino, better known as "Dr. Shakshuka," also owns the famous "Shawarma Bino." Referring to the high prices in the industry, he said: "Shawarma has become more expensive, but if we compare it to falafel, which can reach up to 22 shekels, it's not expensive. Also, everything got more expensive. Mixed Jerusalem costs 45-50 NIS. The shawarma is cheap compared to the mixed, but the mixed is not talked about much and the shawarmas are talked about, because they have been opened a lot.
Photo: Moshe Shai // Dr. Shakshuka,
"There is a price increase that started a year ago, and since then there have been increases all the time. There is one that sells for 35 shekels and one for 40 shekels. Anyone who wants to advertise himself sells for 32 shekels, until it goes up. Basically, it went up. In the last year, it's gone up by at least 25%."
According to Bino, there are also additional costs. "The shawarma worker is expensive. He needs to be professional, and the more professional he is, the higher his salary is, and can reach NIS 45-50 an hour."
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