Diner shocked at being charged S$15.80 for prawn noodles; additional S$3 each for fish cake and vegetables

SINGAPORE: A Facebook user was shocked at the price he was charged for a bowl of prawn noodles, especially since he had to pay extra for the vegetables and fish cake that were included in the dish.

“Dun (don’t) eat prawn noodle at Vivo City Food Republic… Doesn’t come with veg n fish cake and it costs S$3 each to be included… This is ridiculous!!!” wrote the Facebook user, who goes by Charles Charles, in a Jun 7 (Saturday) post.

He posted a screenshot of the receipt for his meal, which showed that he was charged S$15.80 for the prawn noodles, and then an additional S$3 each for vegetables and fish cake, for a total of S$21.80.

The post has been widely commented on and shared more than 20 times.

The post author commented that he would be willing to pay the price of the prawn noodle dish, given that the food court’s clientele is mostly tourists. He felt the additional charge for the vegetables and fish cake was unreasonable.

Another agreed, calling the price “daylight robbery,” and one chimed in to say that it should have included the dish’s other components.

Prawn noodles in Singapore range in price from S$5 to S$12, depending on the size of the dish, the number of prawns, and the toppings. While the main components of the dish are prawns, broth, and noodles, it can also include thin slices of pork, fish cakes, bean sprouts, leafy greens, fried shallots, and a hard-boiled egg.

A commenter joked, “Store name really gives us Xia Yi TIAO,” which in Chinese translates “be startled” or “to jump in fright.” The phrase is commonly used to describe being suddenly startled.

Another told Charles Charles that he could get less expensive prawn noodles elsewhere.

“Just go to Kovan, after MRT, walk straight to the hawker centre, don’t enter, walk left, walk all the way, and turn right 90°, walk a few steps, and you’ll see the coffee shop diagonally opposite Yen Can Bake. Got a coffee shop that sells prawn mee soup, very nice. It’s closed on the first Monday of the month. $5.50 for 4 prawns, no fish cake or others. Nice, like my cooking style.”

The Independent Singapore has contacted the post author and Food Republic Singapore for further comments or updates. /TISG

Read also: Man gets ‘shock of his life’ after being charged $10.80 for cai fan at Food Republic