Why Is Sushi So Expensive? (Top 5 Reasons)

 

Some people can’t get enough sushi.

The tastes are unique, and overall, the food is very healthy.

It can be fun to discover new sushi combinations.

The only real downside that many people experience as a sushi fan is the pricing.

Pricing is expensive when it comes to sushi, but there are several reasons behind it.

If you are curious about why sushi is costing you so much, here are a few of the main reasons.

 

Why Is Sushi so Expensive?

 

1. Type of Seafood Used

 

If you put sushi to the side for the moment and talk about seafood in general, you will see the prices are high.

Seafood is similar to meat in that it costs quite a bit.

There are many reasons seafood is expensive.

In fact, that could be an entirely different article.

The seafood that is used in sushi is usually of very high quality.

The seafood is put in the sushi roll and served without much being done to it.

In fact, much of sushi is actually raw fish.

If poor tasting or low-quality fish is used to make sushi, the consumer will absolutely be able to tell the difference.

Sushi is delicious when done right, and without the proper seafood, it can be done quite wrong.

A lot of the seafood that is used in sushi is imported.

Unfortunately, there is not as much access to the seafood needed in many areas of the country, so the seafood must be imported.

Certainly, imported seafood will be more expensive because of the traveling it will have to do to get to the restaurant.

If you are serious about sushi, you know there are some restaurants that use better seafood than others.

These restaurants will probably charge a little more, but as a fan of sushi, this should not scare you away.

Sometimes it is worth paying a little extra if you are going to get the quality you expect from a sushi meal.

There are some types of fish that are priced less than others, and that will be reflected in the price of the sushi you eat.

Some very expensive sushi rolls are constructed with high end fish.

The cheaper rolls may use imitation crab, which is what you will often find in a California roll.

Some restaurants are getting unique with sushi and not using seafood at all.

They may use vegetables or even chicken in their sushi rolls.

You will notice that these are quite a bit less expensive.

 

2. Preparation

 

Another reason sushi is so expensive is that it takes time to make.

You will notice that sushi chefs often spend hours prepping and preparing for a busy night at a sushi restaurant.

People expect a sushi roll to be made quickly and served within a few minutes.

To make sure all parts of the fish and rice and vegetables are ready to be served, the sushi chef has to be prepared.

There is also a bit of art involved when sushi is served.

You have probably seen the impressive creations sushi chefs can make with their sushi rolls.

The plates are always quite impressive, and it is a bit different than putting the pasta in a bowl and serving it to someone.

The preparation and the presentation are going to increase the cost of sushi, certainly.

One of the good things to remember is that sushi is something that is very clean to eat, and it can be quite filling as well.

Although you pay a bit more for this meal, it is enjoyable to look at, tastes great, and helps you not feel overly full.

At a busy sushi restaurant, the sushi chef has to be both quick and talented in order to serve the number of people they serve.

These chefs are most likely paid a bit more than a backup chef in a kitchen or a kitchen hand.

They have a real skill that is used to make some incredible food.

This, of course, means that the price of their labor will be reflected in the cost of the sushi you are buying.

When you consider that you are partially paying to keep a talented sushi chef employed, sometimes the price for the sushi seems a little fairer.

 

3. Location

 

We touched on this a little bit when we talked about seafood.

Depending on where you are located, the price of sushi can vary.

For instance, if you live in a high-end area where people have high income levels, that is going to increase the cost of going out to eat.

If you live in an area that has a hard time getting food and fish imported, you will also pay a bit extra.

The location where you are eating your sushi will absolutely affect the price you pay.

Some of the most expensive sushi is located in areas like California and New York.

These areas don’t have a hard time obtaining fish and crab for the sushi rolls.

They just have the ability to charge more because of the market.

You may also pay a lot of money for sushi if you live in a small town away from major cities.

These small-town restaurants probably have to go through quite a bit of trouble to get sushi to their doors.

This, of course, will be reflected in the price and will make it harder for people to afford sushi.

If you feel comfortable with your ability to cook and you have access to fresh seafood, you may try making your own sushi.

This is not all that difficult to do, depending on the type of roll you want to create.

We suggest starting with something simple and increasing the difficulty when you get the basic textures and consistency figured out.

Sushi rice can be a little challenging to work with if you don’t cook it precisely right.

 

4. Marketing

 

Another reason sushi is expensive is that it is marketed well.

Sushi is considered to be a social type of food.

Friends get together, and they enjoy sushi together at restaurants.

It is thought of as a food that a successful person would eat because they have the money to eat it and the palate as well.

Of course, sushi is for anyone to eat, but there are many times you will see it marketed for a specific crowd of people.

This increases the price of sushi.

When a product is considered to be hip or cool or trendy, it will be sought after, and therefore, the pricing will go up.

As simple as this may seem, part of the reason sushi is so expensive is that it is marketed as being expensive and high end.

 

5. Luxury

 

The last thought we have as to why sushi is so expensive is that it is considered to be a luxury item.

Sushi goes beyond something a person needs and is more of something a person wants.

Like other luxury food items, including steak, lobster, and seafood in general, sushi is priced quite high.

Items like hamburgers, sandwiches, and pizza are not considered to be luxury items.

Since they are more for the average person, the pricing is much fairer.

The good news about sushi is that many young people and college kids are really into it.

They find it to be a good social gathering and a way to enjoy a night out with friends.

This segment of people is not always known for having tremendous amounts of money.

This will help to make sure the pricing on sushi stays somewhat in check.

We do suggest you watch out when you find a place that has sushi that you may consider to be cheap.

As we discussed, sushi has ingredients that increase the price, and it has labor that increases the cost.

When you find sushi for a very low price, you may need to consider and wonder what it is that lowered the price to that level.

Certainly, when eating fish the way it is served in sushi, you will need to make sure it is high quality.

 

How Can I Save Money on Sushi?

 

Now that you understand why sushi is so expensive, you may be interested in saving a bit of money on sushi.

If this is one of your favorite meals, the cost will add up rather quickly.

Here are a few ways you can save money but still get the sushi you enjoy.

 

1. Learn to Make It at Home

 

Making sushi at home is not necessarily easy, but it is something you can learn.

Many people who start making sushi at home find that they like this sushi much more.

Since you can customize the flavors at home, you can get a product that is an exact match to what you want.

When you make sushi at home, you will save a lot of money.

The ingredients will allow you to make quite a bit of food for a much lower price.

What you pay for one roll in a restaurant may be enough for you to make rolls for an entire group of people at home.

We don’t recommend inviting a bunch of people over for your first time making sushi, though.

It’s best to give it a few tries before you start serving to others.

 

2. Look for Specials and Lunches

 

Lots of sushi restaurants will run specials, and many of those specials occur at lunch time.

The same roll you pay $20 for at dinner could be $13 at lunch.

If you plan on having sushi that night for dinner, sometimes it makes sense to order it early and eat it later in the day.

Another idea is to look for places that offer specials on some weeknights.

Sometimes, a Tuesday night may be a slow night for the restaurants, so they could offer a special price on a sushi roll or a “buy one get one ½ off” special.

 

3. All You Can Eat

 

Some sushi restaurants offer an all you can eat special.

If you are a true sushi lover, this option may make sense.

Of course, you are probably not going to do this every time you go out to eat, but it can be a great deal for a special occasion.

The pricing for all you can eat sushi will probably be about the same as two or three rolls.

If you think you are going to be able to consume more than that, then all you can eat is a smart choice.

Be sure you save room for an event like this and don’t fill up on other food before going in for an all you can eat special.

If you only plan on having a single roll, all you can eat is a choice that will end up costing you much more.