The exorbitant cost of a paired back brunch at a Western Australian cafe has highlighted the reality of the cost of living crisis.
Holistic therapist Tania Lewis was staying in a hotel in Brusselton – on WA’s southwest – on Sunday when she decided to treat herself to breakfast.
But after ordering the $19 poached eggs and bacon she was left confused when she was handed the less than satisfactory plate.
Ms Lewis took to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to share a snap of the offering.
The picture showed two poached eggs, two slices of basic white bread, a couple of rashes of bacon and two Devondale natural butter sachets.
“$19 breakfast in Busselton. Would you pay for this?” she asked.
She later revealed she also ordered a $10 orange juice with her meal but received a warm juice with no ice instead.
Australians were quick to sound off about the outrageous cost of the disappointing meal with many saying they could have made better for less money at home.
One follower replied that Busselton was a “tourist town” that loved ripping visitors off.
“To be honest that looks like shit and is overpriced,” they said.
Another joked: “At least it’s real butter” to which Ms Lewis said, “Bonus. I got what I paid for”.
But others came to the cafe’s defence saying the breakfast looked like it was cooked perfectly.
“Cost of produce, plus cost for labour (at least three people) plus rent, plus cleaning costs, plus electricity, plus insurance, plus tourist tax levy – and so the list goes on,” one said.
“If you don’t like paying to be served with what you asked for, then stay at home.”
Ms Lewis responded that she never said it wasn’t tasty – just that it was a snapshot of “Australia’s inflation”.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is set to release the latest inflation figures on Wednesday.
Economists tip the headline inflation rate to fall from 4.9 per cent in October down to 4.5 per cent in November.
Treasury forecasts inflation to slow to 3.75 per cent this financial year before hitting 2.75 per cent in 2024/25.