Newton rip-off $239 for 8 prawn
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American tourists Mike Rigby, his wife and four friends were shocked when the bill came after their meal - nearly $500 for prawns, crabs, baby squid, beer, rice and buns.
Singapore, March 17, 2009 - $30 a prawn or eight for $239 - that's how much American tourists Mike Rigby and his wife had to pay at Newton Food Centre last Saturday, reported Shin Min News Daily.
The amount was almost half of the total bill that they had to foot - $491, which also covered four crabs at $169, half a BBQ chicken which costs $19, baby squids ($15), beer, mantou buns and rice.
When Rigbys and four friends went to the food centre, it was already packed but a stall assistant ushered them to table saying he got one for six diners. So Mr Rigby decided to order food from him.
He said: "We only wanted four prawns at first but the stall assistant insisted that eight prawns would be enough of our group of six. Later he even served us two plates of stingray that we didn't order."Mr Rigby was shocked when he got the bill after their meal - nearly $500 for six diners.
"It was because we had rejected the stingray then we decided to check the bill thoroughly just to make sure. But instead we found that they wanted $200 for the prawns and $19 for half a chicken. Obviously, they were trying to overcharge us," he told Shin Min.
The newspaper sought the views of an industry expert who said tiger prawns usually cost $6 to $6.50 for 100g at restaurants.
"An average-sized prawn is about 50g while a large one weighs 100g," he said."I reckon eight large tiger prawns would cost not more than $52," he added.
Said Mr Rigby: "We were frightened when we were surrounded by four guys, so we decided to pay up. We could have spent that amount on a good meal in a five-star hotel."
He told Shin Min that it wasn't his first time to Newton but it was his first trying out the seafood dishes there.
"I wanted to introduce the food to my four friends and did not expect this to happen. I don't think I'll ever come back to this food centre."
Meanwhile, the National Environment Agency said it would be investigating the matter. -
i heard this story on radio yesterday morning ..
newton's a tourist trap!!
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from evening papers
e stall closed is it?
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suckers
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time really are bad..... soon they start selling human meat.... icon_lol.gif
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today's paper
those tiger prawns weighed ~400g each and at $8 per 100g
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nv will i spent so much on 8 prawns.....
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$19 for 1/2 a bbq chicken?
i pressume itis those bbq spring chicken,.... costing ard $8 for one whole chicken?
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It's a rip off for sure ..
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anyway, newton circles is one place i will never go again.....
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lol..ofcoz not for Singaporean lah.Seem that the authority got pretty much work to clean up the acts at Sim lim, Newton.
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i wonder if u are ask to pay that amount after eating 8 prawns there....
would u just pay up or.....
wat else will u do?
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is real damn expensive, but then again, should have double checked the price before eating mah
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why is it the NEA that's checking up on this?
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Originally posted by SBS7484P:
why is it the NEA that's checking up on this?
scared the prawns too big hence not safe for consumption.
clone prawns. -
cos they're e ones giving hawker licenses la
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ya.. and NEA just next to the hawker center... the stall uncle really brave...
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genetically modified
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i'd start a bloody deathmatch right there before paying 200 bucks for prawns
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i think those newton stalls dont like the government. so they try to create a bad image among tourists.
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Originally posted by yongyong:
ya.. and NEA just next to the hawker center... the stall uncle really brave...
越�险的地方越安全 mah...
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the prawn oso not like very big....
coz the spoon next to it, ish a tea spoon leh...
I just went to check, my house wet market selling 1kg tiger prawn for only $10.....
$239 can buy 20+kg of prawn....
carry oso got problem liao....
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Originally posted by EarlNeo:
the prawn oso not like very big....
coz the spoon next to it, ish a tea spoon leh...
I just went to check, my house wet market selling 1kg tiger prawn for only $10.....
$239 can buy 20+kg of prawn....
carry oso got problem liao....
lol, my mum told me that too..
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amazing. if anyone told me that i'd to pay 500 bucks for this, i would just throw the remaining of the food onto him.
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if u ask the tour guide, they will tell u how newton stalls chrge the tourists and how much they can get from the stalls