'Might as well pick them out myself': Diner baffled by Bukit Panjang hawker's 50-cent charge to remove beansprouts
No beansprouts please!
Such is a request commonly heard at coffee shops and hawker centres, but what if it comes with an extra charge of 50 cents?
Diner Steven Wong told AsiaOne on Tuesday (Sept 26) that he was "amused" to spot the sign at a stall selling fried char kway teow, carrot cake and oyster omelettes at Wu Fu coffee shop located in Fajar Shopping Centre.
The sign is written in Mandarin, and lists out extra charges payable for certain requests, including additional seafood for $2, an additional egg for $1 and additional beansprouts for 50 cents.
However, what stood out was the last point indicating that they will charge an additional 50 cents if the customer doesn't want bean sprouts in their dish.
"This is ridiculous," Wong commented. "I might as well pick out the bean sprouts myself after frying."
He said that he didn't patronise the stall that day but pointed out that "every stall at hawker centres will gladly not put bean sprouts if requested without additional charge".
When AsiaOne visited the stall on Tuesday, the stall was closed. We left our contact number with the coffee shop staff but has yet to receive a call at the time of writing.
Some coffee shop patrons we spoke to also expressed their bemusement over the additional charge for no beansprouts.
68-year-old retiree Tng said he believes the price should decrease or simply stay the same if customers request for no beansprouts.
Another Bukit Panjang resident, surnamed Tan, agreed that the price should remain the same, but suggested that the hawker may have a reason for charging extra.
"I think they cook in bulk, so if customers don't want, they need to cook separately for the individual," she told AsiaOne.
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lim.kewei@asiaone.com
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