In today’s digital age, social media has become a powerful platform for individuals to voice their concerns and opinions. It can also be a battleground where controversies arise.
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One such incident took place on October 20th when a Facebook user named Eric Tan expressed his shock at being charged $8 for a plate of bee hoon at a food court in Singapore General Hospital (SGH), according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao.
$8 for Bee Hoon meal
Eric Tan’s Facebook post made waves when he shared a picture of his bee hoon meal, which consisted of rice with vegetarian roast goose, fried egg, and long beans.
His caption, “First time eat so expensive vegetarian bee hoon,” set the stage for a lively online discussion. Many netizens were quick to express their astonishment at the $8 price tag, labeling it as “daylight robbery.”
Some even called for a boycott of the stall responsible for this seemingly extravagant pricing.

“cannot be”
The stall assistant, Han, spoke to Zaobao and responded to the online outcry by explaining that the diner should have been billed only $7 for the food shown in the photo.
The breakdown of the charges includes $2 for the bee hoon, $1.50 for the fried egg, $1 for long beans, and $2.50 for vegetarian roast goose.
The crux of the matter here is understanding the pricing of vegetarian roast goose, a component that substantially contributed to the overall cost.
Han shed light on the cost of vegetarian roast goose, noting that it’s relatively high, with a bag of it costing $10. This explains the higher price of the dish, which includes this specialized ingredient.
He further added that the prices of their food are clearly indicated and they won’t charge random prices to customers, and he questioned how Tan’s meal had come up to $8.
Han also added that he hopes Tan will be able to show the receipt to prove his claims.
Koufu’s statement
With regards to the recent incident on the pricing issue at the Vegetarian Stall in Singapore General Hospital (SGH) foodcourt, please be assured that we had taken steps to review the menu pricing of the stall. We have also issued a strict warning to the stall owner and staff, and strongly reiterated the importance of charging the correct pricing in accordance to the approved menu.
We apologise for the unpleasant incident and will continue to work closely with our stall owners at SGH to provide value meal options for our valued customers. Senior Citizen can also flash Merdeka Card or Pioneer Generation card at our SGH outlet to enjoy 10% discount on regular-price items.
Furthermore, customers can order through Koufu Eat APP to enjoy 10% discount on regular-price items.