Elderly couple's daughter upset Bukit Batok stall offering free meals for seniors charged parents, stall says couple didn't ask for free meal

A couple in their 80s went to a vegetarian mixed rice stall in Bukit Batok West Hawker Centre that offered free senior citizen meals, was surprised when they were charged for their food.

When their daughter asked the stall owner for an explanation, she said that diners who want the free meals need to clearly say so when ordering, Shin Min Daily News reported.

There was also a fixed menu for the free meals, added the owner, surnamed Zhang (transliteration).

"But how would my elderly parents know all this?" the daughter told Shin Min. "My father said he took whatever food the stall offered, and ended up getting charged."

Zhang later told Shin Min that there was a misunderstanding, and she would be more mindful in the future to avoid similar situations.

Questioning the advertising

It was the daughter, surnamed Huang (transliteration), who recommended her parents get the free meals at Yuan Lai Vegetarian.

She had learnt from an online chat group that the stall gave free meals specially to seniors every first and fifteenth day of the Lunar month.

Her parents visited the stall on Apr. 17, the first day of March in the Lunar calendar, but were charged S$3.50 and S$4 for their meals.

Huang thus questioned the way the stall advertised this initiative.

She believed that since the stall said the meals are free, they should be consistent in providing them for free, and not charge diners after advertising them.

The stall owner explains

Zhang has been giving free meals to seniors for three years, supported by donations from regular customers, she told Shin Min.

"We would not cheat people," she said. "Diners can get free meals — they just need to let us know. In the past, I would ask elderly diners if they would like a free meal, but some would decline, saying that they can afford it. It's also a busy time on the first and fifteenth days of the Lunar month, so it's not possible to ask everyone."

Several diners also told Shin Min they were aware of this initiative by the stall, but never asked for a free meal because they did not need one.

Zhang has been keeping a clear record of people who receive the free meals to be accountable to the donors.

According to her, the stall collected funds for 110 free meals on Apr. 17, and has since given out 40. The remaining meals will continue to be offered on May 1, the fifteenth day of March on the Lunar calendar.

Top images from Marcus Goh/Google Maps and Shin Min