---
title: "Man unhappy over $5.40 cai png, so we ordered the same thing to see how much it costs"
url: "/singapore-seen/man-unhappy-over-540-cai-png-so-we-ordered-the-same-thing-to-see-how-much-it-costs"
published: "2022-11-07T05:52:56.000Z"
updated: "2022-11-07T06:13:27.000Z"
section: "Singapore Seen"
authors: ["Cherlynn Ng"]
tags: ["food","expensive food","coffee shop","hawker centre","expensive"]
---

# Man unhappy over $5.40 cai png, so we ordered the same thing to see how much it costs

*A man was upset to be charged $5.40 for a packet of economy rice as he found it too pricey for a hawker centre stall. *

A man was upset to be charged $5.40 for a packet of economy rice as he found it too pricey for a hawker centre stall.

Stomper Teng visited Kovan Market and Food Centre, located at Block 209 Hougang Street 21, last Thursday (Nov 3), at around 5pm.

He was charged $5.40 for his meal of white rice with braised pork belly, bitter gourd and potatoes.

![](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/fa7593bfdc526172141eef48e628cf21246f55962ee7d56e3cfffd3f86e7556c)

Teng said: "It's so expensive for a hawker centre that's managed by the government. I did not ask about the price and just paid, but I will not visit this stall again."

Asked how much he feels is a reasonable cost for his meal, Teng told Stomp: "$4."

On Monday afternoon (Nov 7), Stomp visited a neighbourhood coffee shop in Canberra to see how much we would be charged for economy rice with the same three dishes.

According to a price list displayed at the cai png stall at Block 120 Canberra Crescent, rice with one meat and two vegetables is $3.30 onwards.

We were charged $4.80 for rice with braised pork belly, bitter gourd and potatoes. While scooping the meat, the stall assistant specifically told us in Mandarin that it would cost $2.50.

And unlike the Stomper's meal, our bitter gourd was fried with egg.

![](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/dc714d6c987d22c247206957678ed8f255e75eb5c58f2c708dd897ebb50939e6)

While in the queue, we also saw another customer ordering braised pork belly. Similarly, she was told by the same stall assistant in English that the dish costs $2.50.

Do you agree with Stomper Teng that he was overcharged?

Comments (that nobody asked for) from this writer who had the above meal for lunch: "I ate food I was not interested in for this article. It's extremely filling, there's too much starch and I am having food coma now."