$15 for Nasi Padang? Singaporeans Debate Rising Food Prices
Sticker Shock at the Coffee Shop
A simple craving for Nasi Padang turned into an unexpected lesson in price inflation for one Singaporean Redditor. Posting on r/SingaporeRaw, u/keithtan79 shared his experience of ordering his usual meal, only to be charged $15—up from the usual $12 he remembered paying in December.
His order consisted of potato wedges, sambal goreng, sayur lodeh, a small piece of mutton rendang, and a small chicken thigh. While he didn’t confront the stall owner, the price jump left him surprised and questioning if food prices had been affected by the fasting month.
“Got a shock when told it is 15 dollars. Haven’t ordered since Dec so got stumped by the price increase. Did not question the stall owner but probably will not visit it again.” – u/keithtan79
Public Reactions: Justified or Overpriced?
Naturally, Singaporeans had a lot to say about the rising cost of hawker food. Some felt that $15 was excessive for a coffee shop meal.
“$15 can buy McD upsized lol.” – u/Maleficent_Today_934
“Bro, $15 can eat steak + aglio olio + drink at Hot Tomato.” – u/TimmmyTurner
Others pointed out that the cost of Nasi Padang varies significantly depending on the number of protein dishes ordered.
“Adding a meat dish is easily another $3+.” – u/CrackedRedemption
“He ordered 2 meat leh. Market rate for 1 meat, 1 vege, 1 egg is around $6.50.” – u/gamnolia
Some users argued that food inflation is inevitable, given the increasing costs of raw ingredients, rent, and manpower.
“Go calculate the raw materials, time spent to specifically make these Nasi Padang dishes. Then factor in rent and labour cost. Then tell us if the prices are wildly exorbitant.” – u/ryantan89
“Nowadays chicken thigh is usually $3.50, mutton rendang is $5 (worst offender cause it’s normally tough af), the rest can be anywhere between $1.50 to $2 each… so $15 quite possible from your order.” – u/jotunck
Ramadan Price Hike?
One of the main questions raised was whether food prices go up during the fasting month. Some suggested that the higher demand during Ramadan might lead to price adjustments.
“It’s like Chinese New Year haircut price increase. The cook was suffering a little more while preparing the food for you.” – u/Kazozo
“Other than the beef rendang and fried chicken, I ordered everything in Malay. The makcik also quite friendly. But is it due to fasting month that hiked up the prices?” – u/keithtan79
However, others dismissed the idea that Ramadan should impact food prices significantly.
“There’s no such thing.” – u/Electrical-Eye7449
The Racial Pricing Debate
One of the more heated discussions revolved around whether certain customers were being charged higher prices based on race. Some users speculated that Chinese customers might be paying more than Malay customers for Nasi Padang.
“Depends if you Malay or Chinese. Malay $4 to $6, Chinese $10 onwards.” – u/spinkyyyy
“Got hit w the orang cina tax.” – u/Harimacaron
This debate, however, was divisive, with others arguing that price discrimination based on race is difficult to prove.
“It’s obviously bad, but the issue is whether it’s actually the case or just a mistake on the owner’s part. Very hard to prove one, sadly.” – u/Kagenlim
Takeaway: Are Hawker Prices Getting Out of Hand?
The discussion reflects a broader concern over rising food prices in Singapore. While some accept the increases as necessary due to economic factors, others feel that hawker food—once considered an affordable option—has become increasingly expensive.
As prices fluctuate, Singaporeans may need to be more selective about where they dine, or start looking for alternatives that offer better value. What do you think—is $15 for Nasi Padang reasonable, or is it time to start looking elsewhere for cheaper options?
