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Pricey food court fare irks diners
Meals above $10 are becoming common at suburban spots; owners blame higher costs
By Huang Lijie
At 3rd Generation Laksa and Prawn Noodle's stall at Nex (above), its prawn noodles go for $11 and its laksa, which has two jumbo prawns, costs $17. -- ST PHOTOS: JOYCE FANG
View more photos
HAWKER fare at restaurant prices, from $13 nasi padang to $17 laksa, is becoming more common in food courts here, and it is raising the ire of diners.
These hefty prices, previously seen only at food courts in town, are also creeping into the heartland.
But stall owners say they have little choice but to charge such prices due to high rents and food costs.
At three newly opened food courts - Rasapura Masters in Marina Bay Sands (MBS), and heartland mall Nex's Food Republic and Food Junction- there are stalls selling meals priced above $10.
A meal of nasi padang with three side dishes - meat, seafood and vegetable - at the 960-seat Rasapura Masters can cost as much as $13.30.
In contrast, Indonesian restaurant Tambuah Mas at Marina Square offers a $9 rice set with four sides - an egg, one meat and two vegetable items.
Another example is 3rd Generation Laksa and Prawn Noodle, which has outlets in food courts such as Food Opera in Ion Orchard. Its $12 prawn noodles and $17 laksa are now available at Food Republic in Nex, located at Serangoon Central.
As a concession to heartlanders, however, owner Bebe Tan has cut the prawn noodles' price to $11 at Nex. The prawn noodles come with a jumbo-sized 125g prawn and a medium-sized 100g prawn. The jumbo prawns cost almost double the price of regular-sized ones, said the owner. The souped-up laksa, almost four times the price of its original version, is topped with two jumbo prawns.
Other examples of pricey food court fare include claypot frog legs priced at $9.90 at Food Paradise in Toa Payoh, and a broccoli-and-scallop rice set for $13.80 at Mega Food Mall in Causeway Point.
Mr Calvin Tong, 24, who dined at Food Republic in Nex recently, said he was shocked to find $11 prawn noodles selling at a heartland food court.
Said the transport planner: 'Food courts should be for people who want an economical meal. If the stalls are charging the same prices as a casual restaurant, they should not be in a food court.'
Similarly, executive secretary Jasmine Phua, 36, was aghast at the food prices at Rasapura Masters. Most meals cost more than $6 there, with a plate of chicken rice priced at $6.50.
Madam Phua, who ate there during a recent MBS hotel stay, said: 'For the price I paid to eat here, I could have gone to a casual restaurant in town.'
Retiree S. H. Chua, 80, who visited it out of curiosity but chose not to dine there, said: 'The food here is too expensive, and people who eat here are paying for the brand name and high rent.'
Industry observers, including food court stallholders, say the monthly rent at Rasapura Masters can be about $20,000. This amount is at least twice the rent of a food court stall in Orchard Road.
For stall owners like Mr Richard Ter of A1 Porridge, who set up shop at Rasapura Masters, the hefty rent is fair, for a chance to show off his brand at a premium location and a swanky $5 million food court. However, they have to price their food higher to cover the rent.
A bowl of claypot porridge from A1 Porridge costs $6.90 at Rasapura Masters, $2 more than its price at its 17 other stalls in food courts. To give customers better value though, Mr Ter uses double the amount of dried scallops for his porridge at MBS.
At food courts in suburban malls such as Nex, industry observers say the rental is about 7 per cent lower than that at Orchard Road.
Diners like administrative executive Kaleivani Arumugam, 35, are worried that the prices of food court fare are becoming too high.
She said: 'A briyani stall that I frequent at a food court in Jurong recently increased its price from $6 to $7. It is becoming so expensive to eat in food courts that I am trying to cook more at home.'
Mrs Tan of 3rd Generation said she offers more affordable options for customers who do not want to fork out higher prices. They can go for the stall's regular prawn noodles, priced at $4.60, and its 'normal' laksa, which sells for $4.20.
Stall owners told The Straits Times that the higher prices have not kept diners away, although some at Rasapura Masters said business could be better.
For Mrs Tan, business at Nex is good, although it receives fewer orders for its $11 prawn noodles and $17 laksa than at its Ion Orchard store.
Some consumers are not biting, though.
Retiree Cheok Kee San, 66, who bought the regular prawn noodles at Nex, said: 'I saw the $11 prawn noodles, but it is too much to pay at a food court. I would rather spend that money at a restaurant, where there is better ambience.'
[email protected]
HARD TO SWALLOW
'I saw the $11 prawn noodles, but it is too much to pay at a food court. I would rather spend that money at a restaurant, where there is better ambience.'
Retiree Cheok Kee San, 66
Meals above $10 are becoming common at suburban spots; owners blame higher costs
By Huang Lijie
At 3rd Generation Laksa and Prawn Noodle's stall at Nex (above), its prawn noodles go for $11 and its laksa, which has two jumbo prawns, costs $17. -- ST PHOTOS: JOYCE FANG
View more photos
HAWKER fare at restaurant prices, from $13 nasi padang to $17 laksa, is becoming more common in food courts here, and it is raising the ire of diners.
These hefty prices, previously seen only at food courts in town, are also creeping into the heartland.
But stall owners say they have little choice but to charge such prices due to high rents and food costs.
At three newly opened food courts - Rasapura Masters in Marina Bay Sands (MBS), and heartland mall Nex's Food Republic and Food Junction- there are stalls selling meals priced above $10.
A meal of nasi padang with three side dishes - meat, seafood and vegetable - at the 960-seat Rasapura Masters can cost as much as $13.30.
In contrast, Indonesian restaurant Tambuah Mas at Marina Square offers a $9 rice set with four sides - an egg, one meat and two vegetable items.
Another example is 3rd Generation Laksa and Prawn Noodle, which has outlets in food courts such as Food Opera in Ion Orchard. Its $12 prawn noodles and $17 laksa are now available at Food Republic in Nex, located at Serangoon Central.
As a concession to heartlanders, however, owner Bebe Tan has cut the prawn noodles' price to $11 at Nex. The prawn noodles come with a jumbo-sized 125g prawn and a medium-sized 100g prawn. The jumbo prawns cost almost double the price of regular-sized ones, said the owner. The souped-up laksa, almost four times the price of its original version, is topped with two jumbo prawns.
Other examples of pricey food court fare include claypot frog legs priced at $9.90 at Food Paradise in Toa Payoh, and a broccoli-and-scallop rice set for $13.80 at Mega Food Mall in Causeway Point.
Mr Calvin Tong, 24, who dined at Food Republic in Nex recently, said he was shocked to find $11 prawn noodles selling at a heartland food court.
Said the transport planner: 'Food courts should be for people who want an economical meal. If the stalls are charging the same prices as a casual restaurant, they should not be in a food court.'
Similarly, executive secretary Jasmine Phua, 36, was aghast at the food prices at Rasapura Masters. Most meals cost more than $6 there, with a plate of chicken rice priced at $6.50.
Madam Phua, who ate there during a recent MBS hotel stay, said: 'For the price I paid to eat here, I could have gone to a casual restaurant in town.'
Retiree S. H. Chua, 80, who visited it out of curiosity but chose not to dine there, said: 'The food here is too expensive, and people who eat here are paying for the brand name and high rent.'
Industry observers, including food court stallholders, say the monthly rent at Rasapura Masters can be about $20,000. This amount is at least twice the rent of a food court stall in Orchard Road.
For stall owners like Mr Richard Ter of A1 Porridge, who set up shop at Rasapura Masters, the hefty rent is fair, for a chance to show off his brand at a premium location and a swanky $5 million food court. However, they have to price their food higher to cover the rent.
A bowl of claypot porridge from A1 Porridge costs $6.90 at Rasapura Masters, $2 more than its price at its 17 other stalls in food courts. To give customers better value though, Mr Ter uses double the amount of dried scallops for his porridge at MBS.
At food courts in suburban malls such as Nex, industry observers say the rental is about 7 per cent lower than that at Orchard Road.
Diners like administrative executive Kaleivani Arumugam, 35, are worried that the prices of food court fare are becoming too high.
She said: 'A briyani stall that I frequent at a food court in Jurong recently increased its price from $6 to $7. It is becoming so expensive to eat in food courts that I am trying to cook more at home.'
Mrs Tan of 3rd Generation said she offers more affordable options for customers who do not want to fork out higher prices. They can go for the stall's regular prawn noodles, priced at $4.60, and its 'normal' laksa, which sells for $4.20.
Stall owners told The Straits Times that the higher prices have not kept diners away, although some at Rasapura Masters said business could be better.
For Mrs Tan, business at Nex is good, although it receives fewer orders for its $11 prawn noodles and $17 laksa than at its Ion Orchard store.
Some consumers are not biting, though.
Retiree Cheok Kee San, 66, who bought the regular prawn noodles at Nex, said: 'I saw the $11 prawn noodles, but it is too much to pay at a food court. I would rather spend that money at a restaurant, where there is better ambience.'
[email protected]
HARD TO SWALLOW
'I saw the $11 prawn noodles, but it is too much to pay at a food court. I would rather spend that money at a restaurant, where there is better ambience.'
Retiree Cheok Kee San, 66
You think we are watching Little Nyona? 
