It’s a well-known fact that a good Doner kebab can brighten even the gloomiest of days. And this is something that Lukas Podolski, a former national player, is well aware of. Having retired from his active football career, Podolski has established a successful second career for himself in the food industry. The former striker for Gornik Zabrze, a football club based in Poland, is now the proud owner of a flourishing kebab chain called Mangal. However, recent news from Poldi has left some fans in shock as he reveals a possible price increase for his popular kebabs.
Mangal has seen impressive growth, with its presence already established in 27 locations in North Rhine-Westphalia alone. Lukas Podolski has been vocal about his ambitious plans for expansion, recently announcing his desire to break into the Berlin market. The kebab chain’s recipe for success is no secret: freshly baked bread sandwiching tender meat, crisp salad, and a generous dollop of sauce, all for the current price of 7.90 euros.
“The kebab must be more expensive”
However, this price may not remain static for long. During a conversation with YouTubers Sascha Hellinger (29) and Montana Black (35), the 2014 world champion expressed his belief that kebabs are undervalued and should be priced higher. He stated, “I think the kebab is still way too cheap anyway. It has to be more expensive.” Podolski, however, did not provide any details on the potential new price of this popular snack.
Podolski drew a comparison with a Margherita pizza, pointing out that despite its simple ingredients – dough, tomato sauce, and a bit of cheese – it still costs around ten euros in stores. He justified the potential price increase for his kebabs by referencing general inflation, stating, “People always grow up with prices. Back when we were young, a kebab cost maybe five marks, but now it costs eight euros. Prices have risen everywhere.”
Kebab fans don’t want to pay ten euros
A trend of increasing prices for Döner kebabs has been observed across Germany, with some snack bars already charging ten euros or more. Gürsel Ülber, the CEO of the Association of Turkish Kebab Manufacturers in Europe, attributes this price increase to the additional costs for resources like energy and food ingredients, including meat, flour, vegetable oil, and vegetables.
