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Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

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Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#121

Post by curiousGambler »

fennecfoxen wrote: post #97
perseusprime11 wrote: post #68

On the flip side, whenever I go to local farms, I find the prices to be high. I am not sure why this happens. For example, a pound of tomatoes just the other day at a local farm was $5.99 and my local Whole Foods was selling organic tomatoes for $2.99. I also can never seem to find organic produce from local farms.

At a guess, your local farm is engaging in price discrimination. If you care enough about "buy local" to drive out to the farm to buy the vegetables, chances are they can charge you more.

That and economies of scale forcing the small farm's prices higher.

I do wonder how often small farms hide price discrimination behind "economies of scale" though.

Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#122

Post by pessimizer »

elliotec wrote: post #109
JabavuAdams wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FYI "jipped" is actually spelled "gypped", which is a slur against Gypsies. I only raise this because I used to say it a lot, and was unaware of its etymology and connotations.

I'm in favor of re-spelling it as jipped, and removing the old connotation, because most people don't know that and it is a pretty common word now.

Changing the spelling doesn't help. It's a pretty ugly word that I definitely used a lot as a child, and it took a while to get out of my vocabulary.

edit: I also used to say "jewed down" as a kid. There's stuff that's better just to get rid of.

edit 2: I've actually had people passionately explain to me why saying "nigger-rigged" was not a problem.

Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#123

Post by dekhn »

driverdan wrote: post #57
jimmywanger wrote: post #17

I think that one factor is that in the Chinese culture, you don't expect everything to be good and available during all seasons. At a Whole Foods, you can reasonably be assured of asparagus in the winter time. In Chinatown, things are only available when they're in season, like a farmers' market. Also, if you've ever ordered at a Chinese restaurant with a Chinese family, you'll see this phenomenon. Instead of orderin…

> At a Whole Foods... I'm curious why did you compare to Whole Foods? They are far more expensive than a regular grocery store and their food is not better.

Nah, I shop at both Safeway and Whole Foods, and the comparable products are cheaper at Whole Foods (vegetables, fruits, and meat) on the whole, except for the very high end items.

Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#124

Post by jimmywanger »

jghn wrote: post #112
jimmywanger wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know, I never thought about it. Maybe. Asian restaurants in Asia tend to specialize. You want curry, go to the curry place, if you want noodles, go to the noodle place. Asian restaurants in the states (Thai and Chinese especially) have huge menus with no clear recommendations in the name. For instance, what are you getting when you go to Morton's steak house? The name gives you the cue. Just like if you're headin…

"Just like if you're heading into a restaurant called "Shanghai Dumpling House" you're probably getting dumplings." Be careful with this. At least in the US, the English name often has very little to do with the Chinese name, and it's the latter which is meaningful. As an example there's a place in Boston's Chinatown called the "Dumpling House" (or something along those lines) but the Chinese name is something like "…

Agreed. Not to be creepy, but is this the place you're talking about? https://www.yelp.com/biz/gourmet-dumpling-house-boston-3 (Food is very important to me)

They seem to be known for their shanghai soup dumplings. This is a great book if you like eating out. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005GSYYQ2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?...

Basically, if you show up at an ethnic place and order what the other ethnic people are getting, it's hard to go wrong.

That's why it's maybe more of a thing in the states where you interrogate the waiter. In Asia, each restaurant does one thing, because the competition is so intense.

In the states, you expect to get broccoli beef in every Chinese restaurant, so they sort of have to offer it. Once you talk to the waiter, everything will be made clear.

Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#125

Post by koalaman »

tacostakohashi wrote: post #72

I can't help but think that this article, and other comments, gloss over some major, obvious factors: 1) More than anything else - high volumes, low margins, and intense competition. People travel to Chinatown from all over NYC to buy at those prices. When they do, they're often making a long trip (in many cases, over an hour), and so they buy in much higher quantities than they would at a local grocer or supermarket…

they're also a community that is notorious for tax avoidance.

Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#126

Post by dragonwriter »

driverdan wrote: post #57
jimmywanger wrote: post #17

I think that one factor is that in the Chinese culture, you don't expect everything to be good and available during all seasons. At a Whole Foods, you can reasonably be assured of asparagus in the winter time. In Chinatown, things are only available when they're in season, like a farmers' market. Also, if you've ever ordered at a Chinese restaurant with a Chinese family, you'll see this phenomenon. Instead of orderin…

> At a Whole Foods... I'm curious why did you compare to Whole Foods? They are far more expensive than a regular grocery store and their food is not better.

Most grocery stores with a reputation for being expensive or upscale actually have list prices on comparable goods to "cheaper" stores, but carry a preponderance of more expensive products that the cheaper stores don't carry at all.

(This is for general chain grocery stores; independent and ethnic stores don't necessarily follow the danger pattern.)

Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#127

Post by rinze »

throwaway_bob wrote: post #63

I lived on henry street for a while, and I can't say that I know anything about the back end of the distribution network, but I can say this article is missing a lot of things about the front end. The produce is cheaper than a standard western store, but the quality is much more varied. Moreover, the market (in the economic sense) seems really efficient. If you see something cheap in Manhattan chinatown in every stor…

> For example, I have seen one place where if they have baskets of strawberries, and some of the strawberries are getting moldy, they will by hand separate out the non moldy ones, toss the moldy ones, and repackage the baskets.

The financial crisis, explained with strawberries.

Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#128

Post by wutbrodo »

tn13 wrote: post #120
throwaway_bob wrote: post #63

I lived on henry street for a while, and I can't say that I know anything about the back end of the distribution network, but I can say this article is missing a lot of things about the front end. The produce is cheaper than a standard western store, but the quality is much more varied. Moreover, the market (in the economic sense) seems really efficient. If you see something cheap in Manhattan chinatown in every stor…

I second that. It is very much like saying there is free healthcare in Venezuela. Fruits and Vegetables are cheaper in Mexican stories, Indian (dots) stores and Chinese Stores than say Walmart or Target. But they are in substantially lower quality. Of course if you are regular and you personally cook then you will have a very good understanding what which store has the cheaper and best stuff. In my experience Onions,…

> Indian (dots) stores

Huh?

Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#129

Post by r00fus »

elliotec wrote: post #109
JabavuAdams wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FYI "jipped" is actually spelled "gypped", which is a slur against Gypsies. I only raise this because I used to say it a lot, and was unaware of its etymology and connotations.

I'm in favor of re-spelling it as jipped, and removing the old connotation, because most people don't know that and it is a pretty common word now.

Not sure it works like that - you don't clean context just by changing the spelling.

Re: Why Fruits and Veggies Are So Cheap in Chinatown

#130

Post by coldtea »

r00fus wrote: post #129
elliotec wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in favor of re-spelling it as jipped, and removing the old connotation, because most people don't know that and it is a pretty common word now.

Not sure it works like that - you don't clean context just by changing the spelling.

You do if people also don't jump at the chance to tie it to the old concept.
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