Chon Thai Food in Chandler forced to raise prices due to staff, supply chain shortages
CHANDLER, Ariz. - A Chandler restaurant is under fire with customers who are complaining that their prices have become too steep, but the owner says that's not the only issue she's facing.
Mesaya Rowden is the owner and manager of Chon Thai Food and says customers are giving negative feedback about the cost of their meals, but she was forced to raise her prices because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The prices were raised for the first time in four years.
"This is the first time ever that the price of eggs are more than shrimp. A case of chicken used to be between $40 to $60 – now $120 a case," she explained.
Not only have the prices been raised, but she's having trouble keeping items in stock because of supply chain issues.
"We are short chicken, we're short of eggs, we're short of styrofoam," Rowden said.
Rowden is also short-staffed.
"Mom and pop businesses like ours are struggling to keep the door open, it's been tough," she said.
Amid this tough year, she wants customers to remember that a kind word, or even smile, goes a long way.
"People have been so impatient and they've been so rude, so mean to the staff. We try our best. We're short-handed," Rowden said. "We do whatever we can in our power to make sure that everybody's happy but when you get all that complaint and meanness, it just kind of wears us down, too."
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