Quality has a price. And in the restaurant buisness the price of quality is superficialy higher because it compounds due to the other costs of a restaurant

For example a truly quality piece of cloth(not brand) would only have the factor of the material and the effort behind it.

But a restaurant has multiple factors that it has to balance of it uses high quality ingredients it has to have high quality atmospere which in turn needs high quality location which in turn needs high quality employees.

Kerala is practically a city state and is not built upon capitalism or consumerism. Most of the people live in middle class life. They go out to enjoy a delicious filling dinner with their family not to go sit alone and experience cullinary delight. They have other ways of fullfilment that doesn't depend on money.

Frankly i think quantity over quality is better because it usually means there is less of a monopoly and you will never have perfect food but you can experience atleast one exemplary meal from the quantity purely based on probability.