A netizen shared a photo of a plate of chicken rice that he bought at a food court at Suntec Basement 1, which he had paid a whopping $9 for it.
He captioned his photo: “Inflation kicking hard. $9 Chicken rice found at Suntec B1 food court.”
The $9 plate of chicken rice comprised a serving of fragrant rice, succulent steamed chicken drizzled with sauce, two slices of cucumber, a small bowl of soup, and two packets of chili sauce.
While these components may seem typical for a plate of chicken rice, the price tag was far from ordinary, as the netizen attributed the astronomical cost to inflation.
One of the most noticeable consequences of inflation is the increase in food prices. Chicken rice, once considered a budget-friendly meal, has now become a symbol of the rising costs of food in Singapore. This phenomenon isn’t unique to a single dish; it’s a reflection of broader economic changes.
The $9 chicken rice plate sparked a lively debate among netizens. Many questioned whether the dish was worth the steep price tag.
Some argued that the quality and portion size should justify the cost, while others believed that chicken rice should remain an accessible meal for all.
Netizens’ comments
- “Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?”
- When I was working in raffles my colleagues budget 15-18 for lunch.
And even yong tau hoo was around that price.
But 9 dollars for chicken rice with that portion is hard to stomach - Wouldn’t pay more than $6 (at max) for that. I get that chicken rice isn’t $3-$3.50 anymore, but that’s not a $9 (even if OP ordered medium size)
- to be honest, i wont even pay $9 for a plate of chicken rice with no additional dish. There are so many good stalls out there at food centre that can do much better than this one at a fraction of the price
- It looks like you didn’t even get a pricier part… what possessed you to buy this despite the price?
- tbh that is probably in the realm of reasonable pricing if that was in suntec – possibly even low. i’ve never understood how hawkers can charge less than that.
i feel like singaporeans have gotten accustomed to prices which have never reflected the reality involving the costs of logistics + raw materials + labor + enough markup to survive, and have been taking subsidised prices for granted.
it’s a bubble that will have to burst at some point. it’s already coming apart at the seams now, just like housing. i think everyone should prepare for even larger mark ups all around. more pain is on the way.
