It’s no secret that ever since the internet discovered Mexican food, there’s been an influx of establishments serving gentrified—and of course expensive—versions of traditional dishes. Everything from agua fresca masquerading as “spa water” to exorbitantly priced cups of Mexican street corn, known as elote.
That harsh reality set in on Chicago-based TikTok user Naira, who is known by username nairabills, after a recent trip to a nearby Mexican restaurant which she describes as “gentrified.”
In a video that’s amassed more than 460,000 views since it was posted on Aug. 12, Naira expresses her disappointment in the state of Mexican cuisine. “I cannot stand a gentrified Mexican restaurant,” she says in the video. “They want to charge you $7-$8 for some elote. This is corn. You think we don’t know how much corn costs?”
@nairabills the cup of corn in my hand was like $3, and i’d slap all my siblings for just a spoonful. like be for real #fyp ♬ original sound – naira
“I will have the elotera from around the corner come kick your boonkie, bro,” Naira jokes. “With a shoe. I hope the Chancla of Justice shows you no mercy. The most expensive elote I ever seen was like $12. Who told you to put microgreens on it?”
However, in the caption, Naira clarifies: “the cup of corn in my hand was like $3, and i’d slap all of my siblings for just a spoonful. like be for real.”
Clearly, Naira isn’t the only one experiencing this problem. Many commenters expressed their own rage at the concept of overpriced yet mediocre Mexican fare.
“SEVEN DOLLARS FOR ELOTE??” wrote user Jim.
User Siobhan also resorted to all caps. “NOT THE MICROGREENS.”
“my elote man has those gentrified prices. reminiscing when it was $1-2,” wrote user vldm.
“The more you pay, the worse it seems to taste too. Ugh,” wrote user Christine.
User jenjersnap asked, “and why are tacos like $5-6 a pop there too? if they’re not $2-3 I’m gone.”
TikTok is serious about Mexican food. One TikTok user recently went viral after explaining how the Houston restaurant where he works perfects that famous fajita sizzle. Another creator caused a stir after revealing she corrects her customers’ Spanish pronunciation.
The Daily Dot reached out to Naira via TikTok for comment.
