[hervature]

An extra $0.50 per meal (less than what you are saying and not just for a topping) equates to an extra $500/year per person. Either you did not grow up as low income as you think you did or your family made sacrifices to keep maple syrup on the table. I knew many families that could not afford a new Xbox for their kids. You are literally saying that an Xbox per person per year is not a large amount of money for a low income family. I don't think we'll agree on that.

[erutuon]

$500 per person per year divided by $0.50 per meal equals 1000 meals per year, which is almost every meal all year. Most people only eat pancakes for breakfast, and not anywhere near every day. What about a moderate rate like 2 maple syrup meals per week: then it's only $26 per person per year.

[Retric]

There's a lot more happiness from going to 1.50$/meal from 1$/meal at every meal across an entire year than buying an XBox at the end of the year and not being able to afford games. Poor people know what it's like to have little money for food, that first jump is often a very high priority.

Where exactly peoples breaking points are varies, but you can be quite poor and still have some wiggle room. 1.50/meal vs buying used clothes is easy etc.

So sure it might be real maple syrup on the cheapest pancakes it's possible to make, but it's well worth it.

[a-priori]

In order to make that argument you have to assume that someone eats pancakes every day. I assure you we did not.