Coconuts newsletter

[snpark]

 

[snpark]

 

[Samoerai]

View attachment 3685View attachment 3684

Sunday Brunch at Bel Étage, 12 – 3 PM, starting from IDR 820,000 ++

 

[Balifrog]

This even further strengthens the argument that the food at this establishment is overprice. Buffets are expected to cost less than individually prepared meals (à la carte) offering the same dishes. This is primarily due to the advantages of economies of scale and increased labour and space efficiency.

Certainly, if they target a specific niche market like guests from Raffles Hotel or foreigners on business trips, the local salary may not be a significant factor. However, the number of individuals in this category is likely limited. I doubt that a substantial number of affluent residents in Jakarta would be interested in dining at a buffet restaurant.

It is not overpriced if people are paying for it...

You don't pay just the food, you pay the name, reputation, presence of an expat chef, imported food, quality of service, etc.....
I mean, it's not a highway cantine !

No experience in Jakarta, but in BKK and HKG in most of those places the clientele was / is mainly locals. Upper middle class.

I have no problem paying rather expensive prices as long I consider I have value for money.

 

[snpark]

A buffet is always value for money because the onus is on you to eat and drink as much as you feel that you got value for
Hence stuffing your face with luxury items that you wouldn't have normally

 

[snpark]

Don't forget all the waste food left over at the end that has to be accounted for. It doesn't all go to staff canteen and it can't be given to charity or sold or reused for fish pie the next day or meatloaf lol

 

[pantaiema]

I'm not familiar with buffet restaurants in Jakarta, but generally, affluent individuals globally, whether at home or on travel, tend to avoid buffet restaurants due to concerns about hygiene and food quality. Buffets pose risks as food can sit out for prolonged periods, be reheated, and result in items becoming overcooked, dry, or cold, diminishing the freshness and quality of dishes. Wealthy individuals usually opt for Gourmet or Haute Cuisine Restaurants, prioritizing the dining experience over cost considerations.

The population of Jakarta is huge. Those with moderate incomes who you see in buffet restaurants may only be there to treat their family, close relatives, or friends once or twice a year (say). With such income, it does not make sense to go there for a regular lunches, dinners. Similar to the one who do not do their own DD believing that the USD3,500 rent for two bedroom apartment average size in Jakarta is normal. When you believe in this sort of things, you will also likely to be fall into the investment scams.

Do your research the price for IDR688,000 per person (no fine wines) for a typical buffet restaurant in star hotel Jakarta. And when talking about Jakarta residence, exclude the wealthy one, how many of them could effort for regular lunches, dinners of IDR688,000.

But I agree that buffet restaurant suit for some people as they don't need to wait and also value for money as long as they are priced in average based on the local standard price with similar standing.

 

[snpark]

I'm not familiar with Jakarta, but generally, affluent individuals globally, whether at home or on travel, tend to avoid buffet restaurants due to concerns about hygiene and food quality. Buffets pose risks as food can sit out for prolonged periods, be reheated, and result in items becoming overcooked, dry, or cold, diminishing the freshness and quality of dishes. Wealthy individuals usually opt for Gourmet or Haute Cuisine Restaurants, prioritizing the dining experience over cost considerations.

I'm not familiar with Jakarta he says then proceeds to preach about buffets in Jakarta

We are not talking the all you can eat $5 chinese in Chinatown London

These are 5 star luxury hotels with fine dining dishes, haute cuisine, where things are also cooked to order and served fresh, believe me nothing sits there for more than 10 mins before being refilled or replaced
Its not a cauldron of goulash or a bucket of prawns sitting there for 3 hours like a breakfast buffet, these is top quality produce where every station has a chef or someone serving you fresh what you order from the kitchen.

It is ridiculous for you to admit you know nothing about Jakarta or these luxury buffet lunches and dinners and then go on about the clientele.

I can assure you the 5* hotel Sunday brunches are packed full of wealthy Chinese Indonesia families with Alphards and nannies in uniform and Ibu2 with the big hair and thin metal glasses and bapak in his batik and his chunky rings looking proud as his grandchildren run amok.

Honestly Mas Pantomime, get off your high horse and come to Jakarta and have a brunch in one of these places, it is not Kintan Korean BBQ buffet with droopy cabbage and dry hotdogs.


You could basically sit there and eat 5 kg of oysters, tomahawk, lobster and fancy french desserts and the staff will still offer you more

It is like saying a car costs 200jt why pay 500jt for a better quality one

These buffets are popular even with ABC1 market, great value for money and always fully booked, usually the same families go every week and sit in the same place.

Everyone is happy except you the grinch lol

See you at the warung for the padang buffet Garuda style lol

 

[pantaiema]

I'm not familiar with Jakarta he says then proceeds to preach about buffets in Jakarta

We are not talking the all you can eat $5 chinese in Chinatown London

These are 5 star luxury hotels with fine dining dishes, haute cuisine, where things are also cooked to order and served fresh, believe me nothing sits there for more than 10 mins before being refilled or replaced
Its not a cauldron of goulash or a bucket of prawns sitting there for 3 hours like a breakfast buffet, these is top quality produce where every station has a chef or someone serving you fresh what you order from the kitchen.

It is ridiculous for you to admit you know nothing about Jakarta or these luxury buffet lunches and dinners and then go on about the clientele.

I can assure you the 5* hotel Sunday brunches are packed full of wealthy Chinese Indonesia families with Alphards and nannies in uniform and Ibu2 with the big hair and thin metal glasses and bapak in his batik and his chunky rings looking proud as his grandchildren run amok.

Honestly Mas Pantomime, get off your high horse and come to Jakarta and have a brunch in one of these places, it is not Kintan Korean BBQ buffet with droopy cabbage and dry hotdogs.


You could basically sit there and eat 5 kg of oysters, tomahawk, lobster and fancy french desserts and the staff will still offer you more

It is like saying a car costs 200jt why pay 500jt for a better quality one

These buffets are popular even with ABC1 market, great value for money and always fully booked, usually the same families go every week and sit in the same place.

Everyone is happy except you the grinch lol

See you at the warung for the padang buffet Garuda style lol

It is commonly understood that firsthand experience is not a prerequisite for acquiring knowledge. Let alone if you get the information from a person who is widely known for disseminating misleading information.

Personally, I am acquainted with a considerable number of upper midle class individuals, including a wealthy Chinese family in Jakarta. However, those in my social circle are generally discerning individuals who possess a degree of basic intelligence and are adept at making comparisons and exploring various options.

Is a buffet lunch priced at IDR688k considered normal in Jakarta? These are a few example available alternatives at normal price at five stars hotel in Jakarta. It is still recent in Mar 26, 2023

Best All-You-Can-Eat Hotel Buffets in Jakarta (2026 Luxury Guide)

Looking for the best hotel buffets in Jakarta? Discover 2026’s top luxury all-you-can-eat dining spots, from five-star hotels to lavish international spreads.

whatsnewindonesia.com

Pullman Jakarta Indonesia IDR 160,000
Buffet at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta, Weekday: IDR 350,000
Buffet in Grand Hyatt Jakarta IDR 360,000
Weekend Feast at Gran Meliá Jakarta IDR 250,000.
Swissôtel Jakarta PIK Avenue IDR IDR 198,000

Like many others, some of these establishments provide discounts of 20-40%, often tied to specific credit cards, and occasionally feature promotions such as "pay one, dine two." Using common sense you will know the true price in this establishment.

Could you please share where one can find a Chinese buffet priced at $5 in London's Chinatown? How does it measure up to the discussion we've been having about five-star hotel buffets and middle class society?

Even for buffets that are usually priced at £10 or more in London's Chinatown, they are commonly frequented by budget-conscious tourists, backpackers, etc or individuals working in the London's Chinatown vicinity. London residents, including students, typically do not choose these places for lunch. Let alone the middle class society.

 

[snpark]

Captain copypaste strikes again lol

 

[snpark]

Personally, I am acquainted with a considerable number of upper midle class individuals, including a wealthy Chinese family in Jakarta. However, those in my social circle are generally discerning individuals who possess a degree of basic intelligence and are adept at making comparisons and exploring various options.

I would be disappointed in you if this was otherwise my dear friend
Are they also acquainted with you?

All my rich friends are stupid. You're lucky to know the smart ones! Lol

 

[pantaiema]

Captain copypaste strikes again lol

Yes this one is copied and pasted. The source is acknowledged.

Is it not evident to those with basic common sense should know that copied and pasted information from a credible source is more reliable than information provided by a random person on the internet. Let alone from an individual who is widely known for spreading misleading information in the past?

 

[Samoerai]

Pullman Jakarta Indonesia IDR 160,000
Buffet at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta, Weekday: IDR 350,000
Buffet in Grand Hyatt Jakarta IDR 360,000
Weekend Feast at Gran Meliá Jakarta IDR 250.000

These prices are ++, not nett. And not up to date. Inflation also has had an effect on these prices.

E.g.

Gran Melia's Sunday Brunch now is priced at Rp. 390.000 ++, meaning Rp. 427.000 nett per person.

Pullman has Saturday Brunch + seafood on ice. Rp. 548.000++, meaning Rp. 663,080 nett per person

 

[pantaiema]

These prices are ++, not nett. And not up to date. Inflation also has had an effect on these prices.

E.g.

Gran Melia's Sunday Brunch now is priced at Rp. 390.000 ++, meaning Rp. 427.000 nett per person.

Pullman has Saturday Brunch + seafood on ice. Rp. 548.000++, meaning Rp. 663,080 nett per person

Indeed, the typical price displayed by Exclusive Hotel and Restaurant in Jakarta is without the inclusion of Hotel and Restaurant Taxes, a practice they follow for apparent reasons. Similarly, Art in Raffles is presented at IDR688++ where the tax has not been included. Considering a tax rate of 10%+ on a more substantial amount, the resulting price disparity becomes more pronounced.

Furthermore, Indonesian people someone is observing on a specific day may not be paying the full price, as they could be leveraging certain Indonesian credit cards such as BCA card during specific periods, leading to a 20%-30% discount.

Inflation in Indonesia has fallen from around 5% in March to 2.9% in November 2023.

 

[snpark]

What's new jakarta is years out of date. It's daisy Wong"s website. She's lived in China for years. You might as well ask Lenny at exquisite for the best rooftop bar and guarantee she will say "Artesian" lol
Also you quote the lunch buffet. Not dinner.
Plus this is the Christmas price
All your long winded verbose posting is still the same shit
You haven't a clue about jakarta f&b so just be quiet brother

 

[snpark]

Fyi tax is 21%
10 + another 10

In dragon fly it's 30%

In the warung where you eat it's tax free

So who is paying for the roads, infrastructure, bjps etc?
You in your free cheap warung ? I bet ibu has a Pt declaring all her earnings lol

Or me paying 822++ 21% to eat rice every sunday

 

[pantaiema]

Fyi tax is 21%
10 + another 10

In dragon fly it's 30%

In the warung where you eat it's tax free

So who is paying for the roads, infrastructure, bjps etc?
You in your free cheap warung ? I bet ibu has a Pt declaring all her earnings lol

Or me paying 822++ 21% to eat rice every sunday

Does this information come from a person who proclaim himself to know well the F&B and hospitality industry in Jakarta or is this again another joke?? As usual, there is once again MISLEADING information.

The mandatory government tax on hotels and restaurants in Indonesia, known as PB1 or PHR, is 10%, not 21%. This is in accordance with the Law on Regional Fees (UU) No. 28 of 2009 and Regional Fees (PDRD) article 35 and article 40

"Article 35
(1) The Tariff of Hotel Tax is determined to be the highest at 10% (ten percent).
Article 40
(1) The Tariff of Restaurant Tax is determined to the highest at 10% (ten percent)."

https://djpk.kemenkeu.go.id/attach/post-law-of-the-republic-indonesia-number-2008-year-2009-concerning-local-taxes-and-charges/UU-559-753-uu282009verE_Edited.pdf

This mandatory tax is applied to both room rates and food & beverage expenses. The additional 11% commonly seen in hotel and restaurant bills is legally unenforceable the service charge, not a tax. The funds collected from this service charge go to the restaurant’s own cash register. Some upscale restaurants, especially in tourist areas, may have a higher service charge of 15% (say).

Small warungs, roadside food stalls often operate in the informal sector, meaning they may not be officially registered with the government and, therefore, are not within the tax framework. It would not be reasonable and practical for the decision-makers to impose taxes on these small warungs. However, it's important to note that not all warungs are exempt from taxes. Big Warung Padang establishments located in the building on the main streets of Jakarta for instance is still subject to taxation. They do not escape PB1 or PHR just by calling themselves as warung.

It's crucial to recognize that everyone is still obligated to pay income tax if their income exceeds the tax threshold, including small warung owners.

 

[Balifrog]

or sold or reused for fish pie the next day or meatloaf lol

I wouldn't be too sure of that. It's all about economics !

 

[snpark]

For someone not familiar with Jakarta have you ever been to Dragonfly
They charge 30% total tax and s/c
Not 21%
Don't ask me why or what for
But look at your receipt next time you go there (hahahahaha)

For some reason they always charged 30% total

 

[pantaiema]

For someone not familiar with Jakarta have you ever been to Dragonfly
They charge 30% total tax and s/c
Not 21%
Don't ask me why or what for
But look at your receipt next time you go there (hahahahaha)

For some reason they always charged 30% total

If you pay 30% in Dragonfly, the PB1 or PHR, tax is only 10%. The rest 20% is the service charge, not tax. This 20% charge go to the restaurant’s own cash register.

While in Five stars hotel restaurant the services charge is typically 11%, other restaurants might only apply service charge of 5% or 20% like in Dragonfly.

If you are interested in learning about the Restaurant tax, apart from the law I mentioned above, read this practical calculation from the tax expert

Restaurant tax: tariffs and calculation (part 1)

For those who have chosen Bali as their new home, sooner or later the question of earning a living arises. Foreigners on the island often invest in their own

legalindonesia.id