Reader Eve had to pay $2.50 for a can of green tea, $1 more than
the actual price because of this tout. Reader Eve had to
pay $1 more for canned green tea at open-air kopitiam.
Singapore, November 23, 2009 - Reader Eve wrote to soshiok.com
recently to complain about how she was overcharged for two cans of
green tea at an open-air coffeeshop next to Concorde Hotel in
Orchard Road.
A waitress (apparently a China national) charged her $2.50 for each
can. But Eve found out later at the drinks stall that the right
price should be $1.50.
She also discovered that the wait staff wasn't exactly working at
the drinks stall - she was seen walking back to the noodle
stall.
It is likely the drinks and noodle stalls were run by the same
operator as all the wait staff there wore the same T-shirt
uniform.
Some possibilities: the waitress pocketed the difference of $1 to
earn a quick buck; she's not aware of the right price or she
confused it with the prices of other drinks.
Whatever it is, here's Eve's account of what happened:
"I want to share my "green tea" incident with fellow Singaporeans
and all who log on to soshiok.com.
On 31 October at about 1.30am, my friend and I headed for the open
air kopitiam at the side of Concorde Hotel (or the previous
Meridien Hotel) for supper. We decided to order Bak Chor noodles
and found a table and took our seats.
Then came a womany (Chinese national) who was wearing the
kopitiam's uniform and she asked if we would like to order drinks.
We did and ordered two cans of green tea. Imagine our shock when
she brought the drinks and told us that they cost us S$5.00!! That
is S$2.50 a can!!
I am not a foreigner - I have been liviing in Singapore all my
life. I have never come across any coffeeshop or even foodcourt
(airconditioned) that charges this kind of price for a can of green
tea! Restaurants maybe but it's definitely a ridiculous price for a
normal kopitiam.
We reluctantly paid her and watched her walked away with our money.
We assumed that she worked for the drinks stall. It was then we
realized that she did not walk back to the drinks stall (one and
only there) but instead, to a stall that sold noodles.
Puzzled, we approached the drinks stall (above) and checked the
price for the same can of green tea that we ordered and it cost
only S$1.50!!
Now, isn't it strange that this kopitiam or open air food court
(whatever you would like to call it) have their staff wearing the
same uniform and going around taking orders but charging different
prices?
And we are not even talking about 20 - 50 cents more. We are
talking about a dollar more per can of drink!
I totally understand that at a lot of places, different stalls
might charge different prices for the same item. However, how are
we supposed to differentiate their workers if they all wore the
same uniform?
I felt totally duped. I can imagine that if I am a foreigner, I
wouldn't be surprised if this particular "cut throat" stall would
charge me S$5 per can of green tea. This is definitely ridiculous
and I hope that no other fellow Singaporean or tourist have gone
through the same "scam".
I took some pictures of the woman who served us our very expensive
drink, as well as another staff (above, right) that worked there
but for the drinks stall.
You might notice that they were wearing the same uniform. Beats me
how they justify the difference in pricing. A pity because the food
was quite nice but I wouldn't patronize them ever again."
http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?t=44372
