Angry customer laments meager portions in S$4.20 chicken rice

SINGAPORE: A customer expressed dissatisfaction upon receiving a take-out meal – a chicken rice bought for S$4.20 – as it is merely a ‘one-fifth filled with rice, with a few slices of meat.’

He took to Reddit on Monday (22 January) to share his disappointment, voicing his concerns about the “shrinkflation.” He shared his experience of paying for a more substantial amount but receiving significantly less at a dining establishment, specifically mentioning his purchase was from Broadway Coffeeshop situated at Tampines North Drive.

Hoping for a fair amount considering the cost, he was surprised to find the chicken rice portion much smaller than expected.

In a Reddit post, he wrote, “Bought my first take out in 2024. I know GST rose by 1%, but the amount decreased by 40%! Eh walao, at least serve a reasonable amount la…” the customer said.

“A simple chicken rice went from S$3.50 to S$3.70 to S$3.80 to S$4.20 in a neighbourhood area over six months… So what did I pay for? A 1/5 bowl of rice and a few (pieces of) meat…”

Accompanying the post was an image of the scanty meal, which the customer claimed could probably be finished in just three spoonful.

Despite acknowledging price increases due to inflation, he questioned the drastic reduction in portion size, saying, “Your portion went from 100 to 50? The styrofoam box isn’t even half full of rice.”

Broadway Coffee Shop: Chicken Rice
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Netizens share disappointment over S$4.20 chicken rice

The online community swiftly reacted to the post, with netizens echoing the customer’s disappointment.

One user commented, “S$4.20 for this? I thought this was the MRT S$2 chicken rice.”

Another remarked, “(With) S$4.20, I can buy 500g chicken from AU supermarket and jiak with salt and pepper. This is pathetic.”

Several of them commented on the single slice of cucumber, claiming that its size matches that of the entire portion of chicken or expressing dissatisfaction with its insufficiency.

Some even accused it of being placed solely as “decoration” to “justify the price.”

Moreover, in the comments section, the customer clarified that his meal was not part of any government initiative budget meal, stating, “I was charged the full price… I was so shocked when I opened the box. I mean if you wanna cut down on the protein because of inflated meat prices, okay fine by me.

“You wanna cut down on the rice too?! Eh just remove all the meat la, I just eat all (the) white rice can already, at least more full. I at home just boil my own egg and eat that as my protein.”

Conversely, a Reddit user suggested that the stall could have made an error in the order, reasoning that if the chicken portion appeared sufficient, there was no justification for being frugal with the rice.

“Did you order a kid’s portion,” another user commented.