The Price of a Bánh Mì in Toronto

Adapting to inflation as a returning Canadian

*This is not a commercial for the shop in the photos, and it’s not like they need any.

When I left Toronto in 2005, the price of a mixed bánh mì (Vietnamese bun) was $1.

Returning to one’s home country takes some adaptation, just search ‘reverse cultural shock‘ on youtube and you can find all sorts of guide. (aside: actually I feel like moving from one home country to another home country) For me, I am adapting to the price of food.

I am not talking about a calculated comparison of inflation and etc. It is about the gut feelings I get when I see the 350% increase for a bánh mì from $1 to $4.5.

Wherever my friends take me, food court, McD’s, HKnese breakfast place….I find myself talking like an old-timer: ‘back in my days this teriyake beef rice was only $3.99’, or, ‘I could have stuffed myself at McD in under $5’.

It is by no means scientific, $3.99 teriyake beef rice was back in the mid 90s, and $5 combos were becoming a rarity in 2005. But we old-timers draw on memories freely and exaggerate to make a point: that we have yet to adapt.

It is not only the price that I am not used to, but also the tax. Again, this is not about comparing political, social and tax systems. It is that having lived in a place where there is no point-of-sales tax for so long, it feels ripped off to be taxed all the time.

Therein lies the lure of ‘tax-waived’ deals offered by many East Asian shops and eateries. This action (marketing scheme) demonstrates a connection and even collusion between the shops and the customers. (Disclaimer: I only condone those places that do this legally).

Roughly speaking, eating out prices seem to have increased by 80% to 120% over the past 15 years, depending where you eat. So I was taken aback to find bánh mì’s increase at 350%. But when I thought more about it, bánh mì was hugely under-priced to begin with.

I was a late converter to bánh mì, initiated during my 2nd year in university. I was already confused while watching the ladies stuff my order with meat, an unknown paste and the coriander that should not belong in any sub. Yet, when I bit into it, this unconventional combination, with its foundation of butter, spam and pork liver paste, highlighted by the competing sharpness of pickled carrots, hot pepper and coriander, put me in awe.

I thanked God on the spot for human ingenuity, and thinking back, I am thankful to be in a time and place in history when I could afford to have 3 of these for a meal. It would not have been unreasonable for it to be priced at $3 in 2005.

So, I guess $4.5 for a bánh mì now is about right.

And never too late to find out: it tastes great out of the oven after being frozen.