A Singapore resident’s receipt from the Kopitiam at Northpoint showing that he was charged a hefty $10.30 for rice, 2 meat dishes and one vegetable dish at a nasi padang stall has riled Singaporeans.
The receipt was charged on social media by Facebook user Derrick Ho, who revealed that a friend was charged the hefty amount for the plate of food.
According to the receipt, the customer was charged $5 for curry mutton, $3 for a hotdog dish, $1.50 for sambal egg and 80 cents for rice, bringing his total to $10.30.
Ho’s photo of the dish and the receipt is going viral online, with over 1,800 shares and 400 reactions on Facebook. Netizens responding to the picture were shocked that the customer was charged what many consider restaurant prices for a meal at a food court:
Carole Ong:Â “I was wondering how the f!@# are we going to save some money for our rainy day! The bloody standard of living in Sg is so high. Lots of ppl whom I know lost their jobs. Can’t get a proper job due to their age. And some of them have money in their CPF account but still have to fork out cash due to the house load cap. Where to find money for all these expenses. Everything are so expensive. Feel controlled and breathless.”
Jess Wills:Â “In other western countries food prices are high but their pay also high with minimum wages and many benefits. We are getting too expensive and pay still remains low and we have to work long hours just to make ends meet.”
Jake Singh:Â “Come on…get it into ur heads once n for all…u r living in singapore, one of the most if not the costliest city in the world….the prices are a proof to this….always want to be no.1 in everything, this is what u get…economic success above everything, survival of the country above the survival of the individual….think who started all these…”
Talina Talib: “it’s happened to me … before I buy I see the picture n the price they write only $7.50 but when I give $10 they ask more $1 …… rice rendang n 2 vegetables cost $11 …… from that day I never ever buy food from that stall anymore. too expensive lah for me”
Barbara Angela Peters:Â “I guess we can blame it on the rental. What to do? I really don’t know what the PM is talking about us Singaporeans being able to get nutritious cheap food at $3. Not every time lah. Looks like they are in their ivory towers and just dont know because they have become so rich by us paying their high salaries that’s why. What an insult to injury.”
Some others, however, felt that the customer should have checked the price of the dishes before making the order:
Ernest Eng:“Price is stated clearly in the stall but problem is do you check the price before you order the food ? Nasi Padang is not cheap if you order meat or fish. If you want to eat cheap, orders veg or fried eggs & dun order meat or fish.”
ウ ォーãƒãƒƒã‚¯:“Lol order mutton and complain… some more 2 meats. Order a simple meat like chicken and 2 vege lah! Easily half that price.”
Labour movement-linked NTUC Enterprise is expected to buy over Kopitiam’s chain of food courts across Singapore by the end of this year.