Salem restaurant lowers prices despite rising costs

El Camino’s Mexican Restaurant in Salem is taking an unexpected step in today’s economy: lowering menu prices.

Owner Carlos Bravo announced the change Tuesday afternoon in a Facebook video, saying that starting Wednesday, October 22, prices on nearly every menu item will drop. The restaurant, located at 403 S. Main Street, is also introducing several new chimichanga dishes.

“I can’t believe I am doing this. But it’s real,” Bravo said in the video. “We just dropped the prices in almost everything in our menu. Starting tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., lunches are cheaper. Margaritas are cheaper. Burritos, enchiladas, fajitas all went down in price.”

Bravo said in a conversation with The Washington County Times  that while he's aware that the move is risky, he wants to make dining out a little more affordable for the community.

“It’s hard, but we’re trying,” he said. “I know people need it, and I’m trying to help a little. It’s very risky since prices keep rising. I didn’t lower them by percentage because there are things that can’t be lowered much, but I lowered them by 50 cents to 3 dollars on some products.”

Bravo said he hopes the community’s response will make it possible to maintain the lower prices long term.

The announcement comes at a time when many restaurants have been forced to raise prices due to increasing food, labor, and supply costs. El Camino’s price cuts mark a notable exception to that trend in Washington County’s dining scene.