In Asia, it’s often cheaper to buy food outside rather than cooking at home, whereas in Europe, the ratio is completely reversed. Also, culturally, everyone is often taking food and bring it back home.
I can see some reasons that might explain this, such as the cost of labor or stricter health regulations in Europe compared to Asia. But even with these factors in mind, it doesn’t explain it all.
Of course, I understand that it’s not feasible to replicate a model like Thailand’s street food culture in Europe. The regulations and cost of labor would likely make it impossible to achieve such competitive prices. But if we look at a place like Taiwan, for example, where street food is less common and instead, you have more buffet-style restaurants where you can get takeaway or eat on-site for around €3, while cooking the same meal at home might cost between €1.50. The price difference is barely 2x, which is still very far from the situation in Europe.
Why isn’t something like this possible in Europe?
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How is everyone not even mentioning the ludicrousness of asking about food culture in “Asia”? Asia is the largest continent on planet earth and spans from the Sinai peninsula to Japan. Most Asians cook at home. You sound like someone who visited Tokyo or Hong Kong a few times and somehow extrapolated that to an entire continent.
People who live in very crowded cities often cook less because real estate is at a premium and kitchens are very small and impractical. You will find the same food culture in New York. In rural China or the mountains of Japan, people are more likely to cook at home.
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