A restaurant in Ankara has updated its menu to offer choices with and without complimentary items. For those who do not prefer complimentary items with their kebab, prices have decreased by 21 percent.

Reporter: Sibel Can

In order to retain customers, businesses first reduced portion sizes, and now they have added options on the menu without complimentary items.

A kebab restaurant in Ankara has decreased the prices of portions that exclude complimentary items like seasonal salad, tarator, and mushrooms by 21 percent. Restaurant owner Abdurrahman Işıksever stated, “If we want prices to be reasonable, we need to leave the choice of complimentary items to the customer. If a restaurant is offering Adana kebab for 394 liras, Iskender for 319 liras, and also these items, then it’s okay because they are not charging for the complimentary items, but if they are offering them as complimentary for 419 liras, then it’s not really complimentary.” The menu without complimentary items, which includes bulgur pilaf, roasted peppers, and lavash, is priced at 394 liras.

On the other hand, the menu with complimentary items is priced at 499 liras, resulting in a 21 percent price difference. The prices for meat doner wrap have reduced from 374 liras to 295 liras, liver skewers from 474 liras to 374 liras, and beyti from 404 liras to 319 liras. When a family of four visits the restaurant and chooses the Iskender without complimentary items, they would need to pay 1,276 liras. If they choose the menu with complimentary items, they need to pay an additional 340 liras.