I spotted this circulating around Facebook since yesterday and it even made it to STOMP and the newspapers.

So what’s going on?

Woman gets served $5,900 bill after dining at Clarke Quay restaurant

A woman, supposedly a tourist, was served a bill amounting to close to $5,900 after a seafood meal at a Clarke Quay restaurant. Even after she disputed the bill, it still came up to almost $4,000. The photo of the woman’s receipts has been circulating on facebook along with a description in Chinese. She had dined at the restaurant on Thursday (April 25).

It mentions that the woman questioned the staff why two plates of fried squid could cost $704 while one person’s share of Pu’Er tea could cost $80. The woman also disputed the cost of a portion of fried rice that was listed at $180 on the bill, and four crabs for $812. The woman also wrote that she was furious and told the staff she wanted to sue them. They then recalculated the bill and it still came up to $3,922.70.”

Facebook users left comments on the post, with some lambasting the restaurant, and others trying to decode the bill. One said in Chinese that perhaps the quantity entered had been wrong, and the tea was actually $4 a person instead of $80, while the fried squid was only $2.90 and the fried rice was $15 a portion, seeing that there were 20 diners at that time.

Another also commented that because there were 20 diners who ate the following dishes hence the final bill was close to $4,000 inclusive of service charge and taxes. The person also calculated that the average amount per person was less than $140 and the initial bill of $5,893.45 was due to a touch screen error that showed the fish as $2,000 and was subsequently corrected.

Article Credits: STOMP Singapore

And here’s a clearer picture of what they ordered including the breakdown of prices:

And what does the CEO of the restaurant have to say about this? 

Thank you for all the comments and especially to the ones who really care to read into the receipt.

First of all, it was an elderly mainland Chinese businessman who was giving a treat at my restaurant to a group of family and friends.This girl who complaint might be one of the 20 guests there. The items were ordered by the elderly man, liquor and Chinese tea were served along with quite a number of live seafood items. Portions ordered were all for 20 people. For example, 20 bamboo clams, 20 CFJ fried rice, 2 red groupa, 4 giant Sri Lankan crabs totalling 14kg and 2big plate of soft fried squids (signature).

Due to a touch screen problem, quantity 2 was captured by the system as 22 resulting in the first bill of $5.9k and a second bill of $3.9k. The final bill for 20 pax was $3, 282/- and this includes 10% service charge and 7% GST. Averaging $140 per head before service charge and GST.

The elderly man made the payment with his credit card and the group was in a hurry to leave. When the error was spotted, to expedite the settlement, my cashier gave the refund in cash. The Complaint is living in Malaysia and she runs a steamboat shall in JB.

We apologise to all for the touch screen error. Software engineer will be at the restaurant to fix this problem first thing Monday morning. 

Roger Koh 
Chen Fu Ji

Below Comments Taken from:The Real Singapore

Your views on this matter?

Till later,
♥ mitsueki