PUBLISHED ONSeptember 20, 2024 6:05 AMByKhoo Yi-HangThey may have enjoyed tucking into their kingly meal, but seeing their bill may have caused them to get a little crabby.
One Facebook user surnamed Ong has accused a Boat Quay restaurant of "unethical business" after they charged her daughter and her friends $356 for a serving of Alaskan King Crab, she wrote in a now-deleted post to Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Wednesday (Sept 18).
Her 16-year-old daughter had gone out for dinner with friends and had chosen to order crab from Seafood by the River in Boat Quay.
Unexpectedly, the restaurant cooked up an Alaskan King Crab, "slapping them with a $356 bill", she said.
"Ridiculous," she added. "For a restaurant to think teenagers want to eat Alaskan King Crab? They don't even know and wasn't told of the cost."
In a photograph of the receipt uploaded in Ong's post, the crab is indeed listed as costing $356.40.
Notably, however, the receipt also includes Prosecco and House Red - different types of wine - and "Tiger", which is presumably Tiger beer.
Along with other food items, the total bill was $536.47.
"Please avoid this restaurant at all costs," Ong stated.
A spokesperson from Seafood by the River refuted Ong's claims that the dish was sold without the diners' knowledge of its price, reported Mothership on Thursday.
Aside from the menu clearly indicating that the Alaskan King Crab goes for $19.80 per 100g, a waiter had also shown the crab to them for them to take pictures with it - a standard procedure, the spokesperson said.
The diners were also provided with a slip of paper indicating the price and weight of their Alaskan King Crab.
The spokesperson told the media outlet that there was nothing amiss when they were paying the bill, as the group never complained about the price.
"[Her allegations] are not true and we have all the evidence on our side," the spokesperson added.
Responding to queries from AsiaOne, a spokesperson for Seafood by the River said that the restaurant will be taking legal action against the individual who made the social media post on Sept 18.
The spokesperson said that CCTV footage reveals the diners that day to be a party of four - two females and two males - who did not appear to be teenagers to them.
One of the males also paid the bill using a Visa credit card "without any protest".
The spokesperson also asserted that "the diners which included adults were fully appraised of the prices" and that their prices are "in line with any other restaurants in Singapore selling live Alaskan King Crabs".
Pointing out that instead of seeking an explanation directly, the individual claiming to be the mum of the teenage daughter had gone on social media and Google reviews to "chastise" and urge patrons to avoid their business, said the spokesperson.
The restaurant added that this is a case of "cancel culture".
"The action of this individual posting the comments did so with malicious intent as the posts were calculated to affect our sales during the busy F1 season," the spokesperson added.
"We will be seeking legal remedies against the individual concerned for all our losses as a result of such postings."
AsiaOne has contacted Ong for comment.
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