'Feel like I just got scammed': $17.20 nasi padang at Paya Lebar food court leaves diner with a bad taste

His stomach may have been full, but this diner may have emptied out his wallet for his meal. 

Facebook user Jon Lum Uchiha bought nasi padang from a stall in Paya Lebar Square's Cantine and was shocked when the cashier rang him up for $17.20, he shared in a post on Thursday (Jan 4).

"I feel like I just got scammed," Lum wrote. "Banned the nasi padang store at this place."

Lum also uploaded a photograph of his dish, which comprised one egg, two vegetable dishes, a serving of peanuts with anchovies, rice and a large chicken thigh.

While the portion appears to be large, Lum wasn't too pleased by the price of his food.

"I can already eat a nice big mala hotpot for two people with this price," he said.

Lum also added in the comments that although they didn't show the breakdown of dish prices in the receipt, he did see the cashier keying in his order into their system.

"The chicken is $6.50 and they charged $2 for the kacang (fried nuts)," Lum revealed.

Many users were outraged by the stall's prices, with some suggesting that Lum shouldn't have patronised the stall once he knew how much their food costs.

"Too much! Don't pay next time you discover prices that are absurd, just walk away," one user said.

A few users also referred to the shop's pricing as "daylight robbery", feeling that the meal's cost couldn't be justified.

However, some netizens also expressed that higher prices can be expected from nasi padang dishes, and that prices do vary based on location.

Many users also opined that Cantine's prices are higher in general.

One user also defended nasi padang's higher price points, claiming: "People like to compare nasi padang with Chinese economy rice prices with basic ingredients that are mostly sauce… Nasi padang ingredients use a lot of spices and take long hours to prepare."

Cantine is an outlet under Kopitiam.

AsiaOne has reached out to Lum and Kopitiam for more information.

How much for nasi padang?

This isn't the first time nasi padang has been put under the spotlight for its high prices.

In December last year, a diner spent $17.50 on nasi padang at Ion Orchard's Food Opera.

According to the diner, Peter, he was charged $8 for pomfret and $6.50 for ala carte seafood.

"When I politely commented why so expensive, the lady simply shrugged her shoulders with no explanations," Peter said in an interview with Stomp then.

In July, another diner also had a similar experience at the Parkway Parade food court, where he paid nearly $40 for two plates of nasi padang.

"It's crazy how it can cost $39.70 for two plates of nasi padang. For two plates of mixed rice, it should be in the range of $12 to $15," the diner told Stomp.

"Even with inflation, this should not be the price or how it is charged," he added. "It's daylight robbery."

ALSO READ: $24 for nasi padang? Woman's meal gets Singaporeans discussing how much fish eggs cost

khooyihang@asiaone.com