Royal Meepok

You might be aware of this incident which happened some time ago:

From: http://news.omy.sg/News/Local%2BNews/Story/OMYStory201006271501-163310/2.html

圣淘沙吃午餐　一条苏丹鱼卖1224元

到餐馆用餐，一条鱼竟要价1224元。

4名香港男子第一次游新加坡，请移民狮城的老同学到餐馆吃午餐叙旧，原本想吃“顺壳鱼”，但餐馆服务生说没货，介绍另一种马国淡水鱼“苏丹鱼”给他。

想不到，他们吃了一条清蒸“苏丹鱼”后，账单上赫然索价1224元，令他们几个人当场咋舌。

这件事发生在本月12日中午，地点在圣淘沙名胜世界内的一家粤菜馆。

家住乌节路的航运公司副经理刘先生（35岁）说，他4年前全家从香港移民狮城，前阵子4名中学老同学，结伴从香港来新旅游4天，他尽地主之谊，请他们享用本地美食和到处逛。

事发当天，5名好友来到圣淘沙名胜世界，到赌场试试手气后，便到“风水廷”吃顿午餐。

他说，老同学说这一餐要请他，他不想让他们太破费，便点几样小菜，外加一条顺壳鱼。

“服务生说顺壳鱼没货了，介绍我们吃‘苏丹鱼’，他也没说价钱，我们也没多想就说好。”

他说，上桌的是港式清蒸的“苏丹鱼”，味道还可以。“我们志不在吃，为的是聊天，也没太注意味道。”

不料结单时，单单一条1.8公斤的“苏丹鱼”，就要他们付1224元，令一伙人难以置信。

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A week or so later, another similar complaint was reported.

From: http://news.omy.sg/News/Local%2BNews/Story/OMYStory201007081508-166588.html

一盘面薄要$234　顾客感觉受骗

读者王翠萍（50岁，行销人员）告诉《新明日报》，她在母亲节时当天，和丈夫及两名女儿到百利宫的御宝至尊烤鸭店，竟吃了一份要价234元的面薄。

王翠萍受访时说：“我们原本订了25元的海鲜河粉，服务员过后却说，那道菜已卖光，问我们要不要换成很多顾客喜欢吃的招牌面薄。”

她以为面薄和河粉的价钱相差不远，就答应了，没想到他们在等那道菜时，竟从点菜单据上发现，他们点的菜里有加龙虾，顿时吓了一跳。

“我们问服务员，她说因为面薄是龙虾面薄，所以就有龙虾，而且价钱是234元。”

王翠萍说，他们要求取消那道菜，可是服务员却说，“龙虾已宰杀，不能取消”为由拒绝。服务员也说，顾客之前并没有询问价钱。

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Is this a sales strategy adopted by high-end restaurants? Are waitresses instructed by the management to recommend expensive dishes in place of cheaper ones without stating its price beforehand?

Although the patron was partially responsible for not asking for the price, I think the staff should have the duty to inform them without being asked. After all customers have the right to make well-informed choices.

Somehow it seems like a cunning tactic to extract the most of out patrons. It's like encouraging someone to sign a replacement contract without explaining the details of the agreement. It's also kind of taking advantage of the patrons' trust, since they believe that the "condition of agreement", that is the price of dish in this case, will be similar.

Sadly nothing can be done after the food is served. You order the food, you foot the bill. It's a fact that you let your guard down and fell for their tactics. Since we can't undo it, we can only prevent such incident from happening to ourselves.

The lesson learnt: Always know how much you're paying for each food you order. If possible, get hold of information regarding the compulsory hidden charges like pickles/snacks, wet towels and tea. That's one reason why I hate eating at Chinese family restaurants. The bill always end up much more than what you expected.

I hope we can obtain quotations from restaurants too. Quote total bill on the spot haha.