Is this the new sinkee rip-off?

[winnipegjets]

Restaurant charges service fee for takeaway food items


Stomp contributor was asked to pay a 10 per cent service charge for food items ordered to go at a French restaurant in Serangoon.

Singapore, August 7, 2013


Stomp contributor Pierre was shocked when he was asked to pay a 10 per cent service charge for food items he ordered to go at a French restaurant in Serangoon.

When he queried a staff member about this, she said service charge for takeaway items is for the service offered when "the chef cooks for you, packs for you and brings the food to you".

In an email to STOMP, the Stomp contributor wrote:

"The French Stall Bistro at 544 Serangoon Road serves reasonably-priced French cuisine in a non-air conditioned setting and is very popular with locals and foreigners alike.

"Pictures I have sent in showed photos of the food when I dined in previously.

"I have dined in a few times with friends, and everything was okay, but what happened last Thursday (August 1) left me with a sour impression of the place.

"I ordered dinner on the go (steak and deserts), and quick glance at the receipt revealed a service charge of 10 per cent.

"I asked the cashier auntie as to why I was charged a service charge of 10 per cent when I ordered takeaway food items.

"The cashier auntie seemed apologetic and while she seemingly agreed with me, she told me she cant do anything as their point of sale system was set up that way and she couldn't remove the service charge option.

"I told the auntie this was not right and requested to speak to their manager.

"She gestured to another lady nearby (who seemed to be their lady boss), and I asked her the same thing.

"Her reply, however, shocked me.

"She said: 'Yes we charge service charge even for takeaway.' I then replied that this is not right.

"What she said next really shocked me. She said: 'The chef needs to cook for you, pack for you and bring the food to you. This is all part of service.'

"I have never heard of such a ridiculous excuse (or attempt to increase profit).

"The lady boss then told me straight in the face, If i don't like it, I can cancel the order, which I duly accepted and walked away.

"The service charge was 10 per cent, which amounts to $6.

"It's not a big amount but as a matter of principle, I don't believe in paying for something like this."

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Can always boycott. Weak sinkies deserved to be bullied.

 

[po2wq]

 

[peppertail]

The lady boss then told me straight in the face, If i don't like it, I can cancel the order, which I duly accepted and walked away.

Well done!

 

[GoldenDragon]

I drive by this restaurant many times in a week. HFJs just down the road. This makan place no biz.

 

[johnny333]

You can see the restaurant from the main road, since it is on Serangoon Rd. I was thinking of trying it:o

Is the food any good

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

This kind of stupid restaurant don't know how to do business. Earn this type of cheapskate 10% and end up losing recurring business. Penny wise pound foolish.

 

[tonychat]

let me guess, this must be a meat eating restaurant..

people who eat meat really lose out in the end, both the restaurant owner and the customers.

 

[laksaboy]

let me guess, this must be a meat eating restaurant..

people who eat meat really lose out in the end, both the restaurant owner and the customers.

This French restaurant specializes in vegetarian dishes. You should try it sometime.

 

[scbccb]

Tau Nee, how come veges goes into your mouth but shit comes out of it?

let me guess, this must be a meat eating restaurant..

people who eat meat really lose out in the end, both the restaurant owner and the customers.

 

[winnipegjets]

Is the owner a sinkee or foreigner?

 

[looneytan]

Tau Nee, how come veges goes into your mouth but shit comes out of it?

the other end got plugged up because of constant pounding by foreign object

 

[halsey02]

I drive by this restaurant many times in a week. HFJs just down the road. This makan place no biz.

Was this French whatever , Bistro? at this corner of Upper Serangoon Rd, between Bethesda Church & the mosque, the road leading in between was hillside drive, where the murders recently took place?? I thought they had closed down? It was started by a Frenchman, I think, there was a write up on this place...anyway, any joint, shop etc, taken over by local...service, charges etc..goes out of the windows.

So when you dine there, do they charge that 10%? What we bring our own containers, the chef got to do is cook, we stand there, the chef just place the food in..we pack ourselves!

 

[wendychan]

Is the owner a sinkee or foreigner?

owner is Xavier Le Henaff who is married to an ex SIA girl i believe...she herself has her own reputation....

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Yaya chef is a 2 star Michelin chef.
Sinkies see stars always in awe....
Just see how many stars general we have running the cuntry....

 

[winnipegjets]

owner is Xavier Le Henaff who is married to an ex SIA girl i believe...she herself has her own reputation....

So it is another case of a foreigner imposing their value on us.

 

[Seee3]

So it is another case of a foreigner imposing their value on us.

I don't recall paying for service charge for take away when overseas. So it is not a case of a foreigner imposing their value on us. More a case of someone distorting the value to rip us.

 

[wendychan]

Yaya chef is a 2 star Michelin chef.
Sinkies see stars always in awe....
Just see how many stars general we have running the cuntry....

he was a chef with a 5-star hotel
not a 2 star michelan chef

 

[johnny333]

owner is Xavier Le Henaff who is married to an ex SIA girl i believe...she herself has her own reputation....

If that reputation has anything to do with money than it's probably why he is charging extra $.
A better strategy is to increase the food prices, instead of trying to claim by it is for GST.

I hate ordering "take away" from stores that charge extra for take away orders.
I'm saving them the trouble of cleaning dirty dishes & they expect me to pay an extra.