SINGAPORE: In the latest case of disbelief of the rising prices of economy rice in hawker stalls, a woman has revealed that she paid a hefty price of $9.10 for a meal consisting of one fish, one fish cake, and three fish balls.
The diner told Stomp that she purchased the plate of mixed rice at the Food Republic outlet in Parkway Parade on 21 May. After receiving the bill, she approached the stall seeking clarification regarding the price.
To her shock, an employee confirmed that “the price is correct” and that other customers had been charged the same amount.
The woman expressed her disbelief at the cost of the meal, particularly highlighting the $2 charge for the fish cake. She stated, “They said the fish cake is considered meat, so they must charge $2 for it. Ridiculous, isn’t it?”
Exorbitant prices for what are considered simple mixed rice meals seem to be becoming the norm in Singapore instead of the exception. The unexpected price surge for seemingly simple items like a fish cake has left many questioning the fairness and transparency of such pricing practices.
But hawkers are arguing that they have to raise prices to cope with rising inflation and the increased costs they are forced to grapple with.
Nevertheless, it is clear that mixed rice dishes have gone from being one of the cheapest meals one could find at a hawker centre to one of the more expensive options.
In the not-too-long-ago past, Western food stalls and Pepper Lunch Express outlets were the most expensive options at most food courts but today, the price tag for most chicken chop dishes is friendlier to the wallets of food court patrons as compared to the cost of mixed rice fare at some food centres.