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An infuriated customer recently took to Facebook to blast a barbecued seafood stall in Clementi for charging him S$67 for five prawns.
S$67 for five prawns
Facebook user Shen Rong posted his complaint to Facebook page Complaint Singapore.
In it, he claimed that the stall — emphasising that it was neither a restaurant nor bistro — sold him a prawn dish which only had five "medium" prawns.
He also claimed that the prawns were not fresh.
Shen Rong also alleged that staff from the stall challenged him for a cheaper price.
Here's the photo of the prawn dish which Shen Rong posted online:
Comments on Shen Rong's post were quite divided, with a few pointing out that the prawns looked quite large. Others lamented that S$67 is too expensive.
Boss clarifies that cost of sea prawns are expensive
A Chinese reporter from Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min) subsequently visited the stall at Clementi and spoke to the boss, Yan Die.
Yan explained that the prawns that he offers are sea prawns, which are more expensive than farmed prawns. Yan told the Chinese daily that imported sea prawns cost around S$55 per kilogram. It can go up to S$100 per kilogram during the festive seasons.
He also added that this is the first time he received such a complaint after operating the stall for 37 years.
Yan explained that he offers sea prawns which are generally more expensive. Image courtesy of Shin Min Daily News.
Sea prawns are also sold by weight and according to Tan, Shen ordered 670g of sea prawns to be cooked in salted egg sauce.
Yan said to Shin Min that Shen was informed of the S$67 price tag early on and could have rejected the dish then if he had felt that it was too expensive.
According to the boss of the stall, Shen finished the entire dish and then gave feedback that the prawn dish here was three times more expensive than elsewhere.
Yan also explained to Shin Min that selling his salted egg prawn dish at S$67 only yields a profit of S$15 which has t0 go towards paying rent and salary expenses.
Yan told Shin Min Daily News that in his 37 years of business, he has never had a customer complain to him. Image credit: Shen Rong.
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Top image credit: Shen Rong/Faceb0ook, Shin Min Daily News.