Cheaper as a la carte? Diner upset after paying extra for set meal at Tampines Mall food court

A set meal should always be cheaper than buying the respective items a la carte right?

For a diner at food court Kawan Kawan in Tampines Mall, this certainly wasn't the case.

A diner surnamed Huang wanted to buy a serving of toast with Nutella spread which would have cost him $3.50, reported Shin Min Daily News on Tuesday (Jan 16). 

When he spoke with the cashier, he was offered a set meal which he agreed to, entitling him to a drink.

"According to the menu, the set meal consists a slice of toast and a drink," he said. "I chose coffee and paid $5.70."

After he was served his meal, Huang felt something amiss and started doing the math.

The a la carte coffee costs $2.10, while the toast was $3.50 - adding them together, he would've saved 10 cents if he had purchased his meal as a la carte pieces.

"I had unexpectedly ordered a set meal and ended up paying 10 cents more. I told staff about this, and they simply said that was how the price was set by the company," Huang recalled.

Responding to queries by Shin Min, Fei Siong Group replied on behalf of Kawan Kawan, expressing that the set meal served to Huang was incorrect.

On top of the slice of toast and drink, Huang should have received two half-boiled eggs, priced at $2 a la carte.

Either the staff had forgotten to give the eggs to the customer or the order was prepared erroneously, a spokesperson for the Fei Siong Group said, also offering a set meal to Huang as compensation.

When a Shin Min reporter visited that Kawan Kawan outlet, they noted that the menu had no clear indication of two half-boiled eggs as part of the set meal.

Fei Siong Group later shared with Shin Min that they would update their menus to reflect the inclusion of eggs and a drink as part of the set meal.

Huang, who was later informed by Shin Min that the set meal actually included eggs that he never received, said: "Actually, if the set meal $5.70, then it's a great bargain. 

"After all, the price paid is basically the price of toast and drinks, and the eggs would technically be given for free."

'Cai fan' miscalculation

Last April, diner Francis Lim shared that he was overcharged for his 'cai fan' from a Koufu outlet in Velocity @ Novena Square, paying $15 for something he calculated to cost $12.50, he shared in a Facebook post that month.

When he confronted the stall owner, he was "scolded" for requesting a receipt, he said.

Responding to queries by AsiaOne then, Koufu shared that they have contacted Lim following his complaint on social media.

The cost of his 'cai fan' was miscalculated, the food and beverage chain said, adding that a refund has been arranged with the diner.

"The stall tenant is also willing to offer a complimentary meal to apologise for the service gap," Koufu said.

ALSO READ: $5 or $9? Man gets varying charges for same 'cai fan' order on different days

khooyihang@asiaone.com