SINGAPORE: In a surprising turn of events, a woman was left reeling after being charged S$17.50 for what she thought was a modest meal at a hot pot stall in VivoCity's food court.

The Facebook user, Indah, posted on November 6 detailing her order, which included a single potato, tofu, four okras, two tofu skins, a small portion of chicken, and a bowl of rice. She was bewildered by the high price and suspected she might have been overcharged.

When she inquired with the stall staff about the bill's exorbitance, they explained that the pricing was determined by the weight of her order. "This means for the veggies, 45 grams x 0.22 = S$9.90," she noted, expressing her confusion over the pricing system. Indah initially believed the charge was per 10 grams, which contributed to her miscalculations.

Reflecting on her experience, Indah acknowledged that her ignorance about local food pricing was a factor in her shock. "I will be more careful next time," she admitted, sharing her intent to read reviews before ordering in the future. As an outsider to Singapore—she mentioned in a later edit that she's not familiar with the local cost of food—Indah found the pricing "very odd."

The incident sparked a discussion among commenters, many of whom confirmed that the pricing model for mala hot pot is indeed based on weight. One commenter shared their experience at another hot pot place, reporting a steep S$38 bill, while others chimed in expressing similar shock at the high costs, noting that prices can hover between S$27 and S$30 for a full meal.

Some users suggested that given the high prices, preparing home-cooked meals might be a more economical alternative. "Why spend so much when you can cook at home?" one user remarked, echoing a sentiment shared by many in the thread.

Amusingly, there was also speculation about the vague term "vegetables 45x," with some commenters joking that even minuscule ingredients could have been counted towards the total weight. One user even encouraged Indah to voice her grievances to the stall management if she was dissatisfied with her experience.

As this story continues to unfold, it raises pertinent questions about pricing transparency and consumer awareness in restaurants, especially in tourist hotspots. Will this incident motivate diners to be more cautious, or will the allure of convenience continue to draw in unsuspecting patrons?

Stay tuned for updates as we seek further comments from Indah and the hot pot stall in question!