50 cents for cutlery set? Woman shocked by surcharge on utensils including 'special' chopsticks at Prinsep Street restaurant

After a hearty dinner at a BBQ restaurant along Prinsep Street, a woman was shocked to find out her bill included a surcharge for "chopsticks".

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, the woman's mother said her daughter was charged $1 for two sets of utensils after a meal with her colleague on Nov 6.

While the 26-year-old was taken aback by the surcharge, she reportedly paid without making a fuss.

The mother said: "When my daughter came back home and told us about it, we were all very confused. We often dine out and there's never an extra charge for the utensils."

Adding that it was never a question about money, the mother felt that this kind of surcharge is "outrageous", adding eateries usually provide utensils free of charge even for takeaways.

The older woman said: "The utensils set includes chopsticks, spoon, wet tissue and a toothpick, and the restaurant doesn't accept returns on any of the items.

"Since this kind of practice forces the customer to spend money, we're considering bringing the matter up to the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE)."

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, the restaurant manager said their disposable wooden chopsticks are "specially made and imported from China and are considered to be of higher quality".

The 47-year-old added: "Since the restaurant moved here [to Prinsep Street] in August, we have expanded and improved our standards."

The manager said the restaurant staff would explain to patrons if they object to the surcharge. He claimed that there have been no complaints so far.

AsiaOne has reached out to CASE and the Restaurant Association of Singapore for comment.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com