SINGAPORE: A man took to social media to express his shock and dismay after being charged S$8 for a serving of noodles at Singapore General Hospital. In the past, other netizens have drawn attention to the high food prices at different hospitals.
“First time eat so expensive vegetarian bee hoon cost $8. Place : Singapore General Hospital,” wrote Mr Eric Tan on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page on Friday (Oct 20). He posted a photo of his noodle dish containing fried tofu strips, scrambled eggs, green beans, carrots and bee hoon.
The post has received over one hundred comments. Many netizens agreed with the post author that the dish was unusually expensive. A number of commenters added that based on their own experience, the food sold in food courts located in hospitals is more expensive than in other locations.
The Independent Singapore has reached out to Mr Eric Tan, and Singapore General Hospital for further comments and will update this story accordingly.
Earlier this year, a woman who paid $5.30 for a dish of “1 meat 1 vegetable 1 noodle” asked in another COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook post if public hospital foodcourt should be charging higher prices than other places.
Regarding the meal she had at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Ms Vikki Ang wrote on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page that a “basic nutrition meal recommended by doctors” at the hospital would have cost $3.50 to $4.50 for a similar quantity. She asked, “Should a public hospital food court be charging higher than other places where the hospital is serving the public spanning both low and high-income groups? Are we pricing out the lower income group?”
UPDATE: Oct 24, 2023
Koufu, where Mr Tan bought the dish at Singapore General Hospital, has reached out to The Independent Singapore, saying, “Koufu has investigated this incident and the pricing of the dish ordered by customer should be $7 instead of $8, Bee Hoon $2, Fried Beancurd Skin $2.50, Omelette $1.50 and Stir-fried Green Bean $1. Nevertheless, we are also speaking to the tenant to review the pricing. We apologise for the unpleasant experience and are reaching out to customer to arrange for refund.”
A video of the meal from Kopitiam Food Court was shared online on Aug 16, 2022, with the customer explaining that her meal, consisting of a thin slice of luncheon meat, three pieces of chicken nuggets, a fillet, and noodles, cost her S$7.50. She showed the receipt, which listed the items as “add-ons,” and couldn’t believe that a “super thin” slice of luncheon meat was S$2.
The previous month, a staff member from Singapore General Hospital posted on social media that her mixed rice order from Outram Community Hospital food court cost her S$6.70. After a 20 per cent staff discount, the customer ended up paying S$5.40 for the meal, which included a pork chop “the size of a spoon.” /TISG