Food prices have been in the news for weeks now–in fact, the world seems to have already moved on, even though the U.N. prognosis has only gotten worse. In South Africa, there have been scattered protests, but the country has more of a cushion (financial, lipid) than its neighbors to the north (plus, now we’ve got better things to worry about). Food is so cheap here–relative to New York City at least–that I barely even noticed, and was surprised to hear local students complaining that food on campus had become unacceptably expensive (your average sandwich is $2, a latte for $1).

So the thing that really made it hit home was a 60 percent increase in the price of rotis at Sunrise Chip & Ranch, an ambiguously Indian place down the street that also sells bunny chow and gatsbies. The name is still an enigma, but there’s nothing mystical about a huge pancake filled with stew and rolled into a cylinder as large as my calf–all for the price of a tall Starbucks coffee.

When I noticed that Sunrise had hiked its rates, righteous outrage quickly gave way to a more balanced perspective. I still don’t understand how they can keep the place afloat even with the new price list. And I still don’t know what it means for a few rand on a bag of lentils to meaningfully affect your life.