Latest news with #foodpricing
Independent Singapore
17-07-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Diner upset his lontong meal cost S$5 after adding begedil, but netizens say it's still ‘cheap'
Photo: Complaint Singapore/Facebook user Latt Latt SINGAPORE: A diner took to social media to vent his frustration after being charged $5 for a simple bowl of lontong at Bishan Interchange Food Centre. In a post on the 'Complaint Singapore' Facebook page on Tuesday (July 16), the man shared that his breakfast, which was listed at S$3, ended up costing S$5 after a piece of begedil was added to the dish. 'I was in shock,' he wrote. 'I ordered lontong for S$3; they added begedil, and the total cost became S$5? I couldn't say I didn't want it because it was already in the lontong bowl. He then asked other locals in the group, 'Are potato begedils really so expensive??' Photo: Screenshot from Complaint Singapore 'Begedil looks simple, but it's a lot of work.' The post quickly gained traction on the platform, though many netizens did not take the diner's side. Some felt he should have clarified his order or asked about the additional cost upfront. 'Just learn from your mistake,' one netizen told him. 'Next time ask for the price before ordering side dishes.' 'Can't afford! Move on and find something else cheaper to eat,' another said. 'You don't go into a Mercedes-Benz showroom with only enough money to buy a vehicle made in China.' Others pointed out that S$2 for begedil wasn't unreasonable, given the time and effort it takes to prepare the dish. 'Begedil looks simple, but it's a lot of work,' one commented. Another wrote, 'Try cooking every meal from scratch yourself, and you will understand the time and cost involved.' A few also noted that S$5 for lontong with an add-on is still considered affordable compared to rising prices at many other hawker stalls. One said, 'Ehhh dol, S$5 is already cheap sia… Other places can go up to S$7.' Another commented, 'Nowadays, S$5 for food is the norm everywhere. And since you added food, it's considered cheap already. I think you haven't eaten out in a long time.' In related news, a customer shared his disappointment on social media after receiving a surprisingly thin slice of salmon at a hawker stall in Suntec City's Food Republic. The set, which included spicy chicken galbi, came with a piece of grilled salmon that Mr Khoo noted was much thinner than he expected. '1st [time] saw such a thin salmon,' he mentioned in the caption. Read more: 'I thought it was egg' — Diner disappointed by $8 thin slice of salmon that looked like a piece of fried egg () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
Independent Singapore
07-07-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
S$11.90 for fish meal shocks diner, he questions if chain expanded too quickly
SINGAPORE: After being charged S$11.90 for a meal at a local western food chain, a diner wondered where the rest of the dish was. The netizen posted a photo of his meal from Fish & Chicks, which consisted of fish and two sides, on the popular COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page over the weekend. While the size of the fish seemed fairly decent, it was the sides that he appeared to be dissatisfied with. 'For the price of S$11.90. Expand here and there till need to cut back on the fries and coleslaw,' the netizen wrote. FB screengrab/ COMPLAINT SINGAPORE He also posted a photo of the meal as advertised on the stall, which showed portion sizes that were decidedly bigger than in the dish he received. Netizens commenting on his post also seemed to be surprised at the smallness of the portion size, especially in comparison to the plate. One even suggested that a smaller plate should be used, presumably, so the meal would not look sparse. See also "New fear unlocked" — Diner finds mould in dim sum basket A commenter wondered if the post author had already taken some bites before he took the photo of his dish. Another, however, pointed out the difficulties that food stall owners face today. 'What to do?… Kopi-O went up from 70 cents to 1.10 within months, and the cup shrank to a smaller serving… Reasons: staff pay raise and rental up, but my pay is cut and no bonus due to the weak market. How contradictory it is now in the market situation… haiz…' Another said that they used to patronise this particular establishment when it first started out, adding, 'It was good. Disappointing to see this standard now.' The post author is not the only one in Singapore to express disappointment with the food company. A few months ago, a local Reddit user posted a picture on r/SingaporeEats of two meals from the chain, captioning it, 'Yummy. Only S$18.60.' Screengrab/ r/SingaporeEats Commenters, however, pointed to the meals' portion size. 'It used to be better. It's not bad, but if that's the current serving size, it's pathetic,' was the top comment. Another said that they've encountered the same problem with similar companies. Western food in SG is 'pathetic' these days. 'You can basically count the number of fries they give you. I've had like 10-15 fries before,' they wrote. 'The portion sizes in the pic suck, but I used to get this so much,' wrote another. 'Sad portion,' one commented. The post author defended Fish & Chicks, saying that in comparison to similar stalls, such as Fish & Co, prices are more reasonable, writing, 'S$18.60 for two sets of meals (2 fish, some more) is worth it.' The Independent Singapore has reached out to both the post author and to Fish & Chicks for updates or further comments. /TISG Read also: Diner shocked at being charged S$15.80 for prawn noodles; additional S$3 each for fish cake and in vegetables
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
The size of this steak at a trendy inner-city pub has sparked outrage - but not everyone agrees
Aussies have erupted over the price of a steak after an angry diner unleashed on social media about their meal at a gastropub. A Reddit user took to the platform on Wednesday to share a photo of their dinner at Four in Hand Hotel in the ritzy inner-city Sydney suburb of Paddington. The plate consisted of three cherry tomatoes, two sauces and a steak with a field mushroom, both appearing to be the same size. 'This is a $49 Eye Fillet from the Four in Hand, Paddington - the mushroom is larger than the steak,' they said. '(It) ended up being a very expensive night without much to show for it. 'I just wanted a nice pub steak with chips (It didn't come with chips either).' The post sparked a divided response on Reddit. Some were horrified by the price while others believed it was fair in the current economic climate. 'What is this? A steak for ants? It needs to be at least… 3 times as big,' one wrote. Another sarcastically commented: 'I for one can't believe an expensive cut of meat in the eastern suburbs is so pricey.' A third added: 'Has no one in this sub ever bought an eye fillet before?' Others also offered insight into why the price may not have been unreasonable. 'A few things to remember. Mushrooms can be huge. Eye fillet steaks typically have a smaller footprint compared to, say, a T-bone steak,' one wrote. 'The one in your photo is not smaller than typical footprints of these steaks (and) eye fillet steaks are more expensive.' There were also references to the skyrocketing cost of beef in Australia, with one person saying: 'Beef pricing is f***ed at the moment.' Farmers warned in April that Aussies could end up paying more than $50 a kilo for steak at the supermarket due to Donald Trump's tariffs on agriculture exports. Organic beef cattle producer and Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance's spokeswoman Tammi Jonas said there has been high demand for Australian beef across the world. The fillet steak at Four in the Hand Hotel (pictured) sits in the middle of price ranges for surrounding Paddington venues She warned the appetite for Australian beef would increase which would subsequently impact domestic prices. Four in Hand Hotel owner Colin Parras defended the meal price. 'Fillet steak prices are through the roof at the moment,' he told Daily Mail Australia in a statement. 'The steak in question is $49 for a 200g steak plus sides including the mushroom. This was priced lower than most similar venues in the area. 'Most venues in the area have actually taken it off menu at the moment due to the pricing.' Research into other venues in Paddington revealed Mr Parras' pub is within the area's price range for a fillet steak. While 180g of fillet steak with sides at The London Hotel would cost a diner $38, Ursula's Paddington offers a 180g grasslands beef fillet with sides for $61. Mr Parras also pointed out that eye fillet steaks are 'proportionately thicker' than they are wide and that the photo on Reddit was taken from above.
