A photo taken at Edinburgh’s annual Christmas market went viral recently, but probably not for the reason you expect.
Yes, oversaturated Instagram shots of the market – usually taken from above with Edinburgh Castle in the background – often do big numbers on the platform, with comments about how visiting Edinburgh during the festive season is on the poster’s “bucket list”.
However, the real thing can sometimes be a bit disappointing in comparison, to say the least.
Even Daily Record reporters have felt the sting of that disappointment. Scotland Now reporter Alexander Smail popped down last weekend, and said the experience left him cold, writing: “While I expected things to be expensive, I was surprised by how little interested me — with so many selling what I can only describe as tat.”
However, its the food and drink prices, rather than the overall ambience and “tat” on offer, which has generated a recent viral post on Reddit.
Taking to the r/Edinburgh forum, a flabbergasted local shared a picture of the menu at a bratwurst sausage stand with the caption: “Christmas market prices are hilarious.”
The image showed the price for bratwurst and fries was £13.50. Fries on their own would set you back a fiver. Also if you want fried onions on your hot dog in a bun you’ll be charged an extra £1.50, making the final price £15.
To the left, a slightly irritable-looking handwritten sign complains about customers not tipping – presumably they’re expected to say “keep the change” after handing over a twenty.
The post quickly became one of the most “upvoted” on the subreddit, and also generated a lot of conversation – 123 comments, to be precise, with most people sharing their outrage at the cost.
One person joked: “Those prices are the wurst.”
Another chimed in: “In Tallinn and Riga, the Christmas market is one square with genuinely good scran and such a better vibe. I’d love something like that, but will be avoiding Edinburgh’s human sardine experience entirely.”
Someone else also compared Edinburgh’s market with a different one in Europe, writing: “I was at a Christmas market in Berlin a few years back and it was €3 for the best bratwurst I’ve ever had…. the pricing in your pic is obscene.”
Edinburgh Live released a full list of prices for this year’s market, which also includes a wide selection of beverages. Flavoured hot chocolates with toppings are £6.80. The Luxury hot chocolate stall also serves coffee including an Americano and latte for £4.50.
However, not everyone was critical of the stallholders. Several people on the Reddit thread jumped to the traders’ defence, saying that – at the end of the day – they have overheads to cover and they also need to make a profit.
One person argued: “Rent, wages, cost of purchasing stock. The price is absurd for us, but I would suspect it’s necessary so that the profit margin justifies the work.”
Another agreed, saying: “Not good but to be fair to rent a stall it’s super expensive so they need to try keep up with the increasing prices.”
And one other commenter had definitely had enough of the entire debate by that point, saying that if people don’t like it they shouldn’t go, writing: “Go home Put Mariah Carey on a loop dead f**kin loud and charge yourself £20 for a warmed up dog turd in a stale bap.”
Edinburgh Christmas Market has been contacted for comment.
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