One idli for Rs 100 vs four for Rs 50: Bengaluru dosa camp’s math leaves social media scratching its head

Aroma of sizzling dosas and steaming idlis is the typical sight of a morning in Bengaluru, and folks are often found chirping around this scene.

A simple menu board photo shared on Reddit has ignited a frenzy online. The board belongs to Naveen Butter Dosa Camp, a beloved Shivajinagar staple since the 1970s on Veera Pillai Street near Commercial Street, which keeps alive the city's love for crispy butter dosas and fluffy idlis amid modern eatery trends.

The idli pricing puzzle at the viral dosa camp on Reddit

A Reddit post showing posters from Naveen Butter Dosa Camp exploded online. The most quirky aspect of the menu that got users’ attention and made them confused at the same time was the option of four idlis for Rs 50, but a single idli costs Rs 100 - double the price of two full plates totalling eight pieces.

The images, captioned "Discouraging single idly culture" by user u/petty86 on r/bangalore, with the line, "please no single idlis," left folks scratching their heads over the math. This eatery has served classics like butter dosa, masala dosa, and four idlis, originally listed around Rs 30 in older reviews since 1975.


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Reddit users flooded the thread with witty guesses

One joked, "Buy four idlis at 50 INR. Sell a single idli at 25 INR. Get a profit of 50 INR." Another wrote, "Four idlis - 100 gm at 50; single idli - 200 gm at 100. He is making us look like fools," poking fun at portion theories.

One user practically noted, "They are probably making idlis in batches of 4, so if someone buys only one, the other 3 will get cold," explaining batch-cooking logic. Some other user reasoned, "It's a waste of effort to sell single idlis at a cheap cost. Everyone will start buying single idlis. ROI won't work out," focusing on business sense. Guesses flew about varieties too: "The Rs 100 one must be Thatte idli," suggesting a larger style.

The tactic cleverly pushes bulk orders, avoiding waste in a busy setup where idlis steam in sets.