A man and woman allegedly racked up about S$245 in their supper bill at a restaurant along Outram and left without paying in the wee hours of 25 August, according to Shin Min Daily News.
A Late-Night Supper Gone Awry
It all unfolded at the Lao You Ji Fishhead Steamboat Seafood Restaurant, a popular late-night dining spot, around 4:45 am. At this hour, most of the city is asleep, but for night owls and hungry souls, this restaurant is a beacon of comfort.
The pair in question, a man and a woman purportedly in their 40s, arrived just when the restaurant was preparing to close its doors for the night.
Typically, the closing time is at 4:30 am, but the staff made an exception for these latecomers.
Culinary Delights and Unexpected Departure
The couple proceeded to order a delightful array of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Their order included Chinese spinach with eggs, steamed fish, steamed ginger chicken, and a side of rice. To quench their thirst, they also ordered two drinks.
As the night wore on, they found themselves unable to finish the generous portions of their meal. They requested that the remaining food be packed to go, a reasonable request often accommodated by restaurants. It was at this juncture that the situation took an unfortunate turn.
Unpaid Bill and a Disheartened Staff Member
Miscommunication and assumptions led to an unpleasant outcome. One of the restaurant staff members, Mr. Chen Wei, was under the impression that his colleagues had collected the bill.
Believing this, he thoughtfully packed the leftover food and left it on their table, expecting that the bill had been settled.
However, the reality was quite different. The pair quietly departed in a yellow taxi without paying their bill, which amounted to a substantial S$245.06. The restaurant staff, including Mr. Chen Wei, were left in disbelief as they discovered the unpaid bill.
For Mr. Chen Wei, who earns a monthly salary of only S$1,800, the unpaid bill is a significant burden. He had to bear the cost of the unpaid meal from his meager earnings.
Speaking about this predicament, he expressed his hopes that the couple would return and settle their bill as soon as possible.
“It’s a lot of money for me,” he pleaded, highlighting the financial strain this incident has caused him, and appealed for the couple to return to the restaurant and pay the bill.