Singapore restaurant denies posting 104% surcharge notice targeting American diners: 'Malicious prank'
A restaurant in Chinatown stirred controversy this week after putting up signs saying American diners would be charged a 104 per cent surcharge -- but has since taken them down and denied responsibility.
Stompers Audrey and Lee alerted Stomp to videos featuring Xie Lao Song, a Chinese restaurant at Pagoda Street.
The clips on YouTube and Instagram showed two handwritten notices, in both English and Chinese, pasted on the restaurant's front door.
They read: "Starting from April 9, 2025, Americans will be charged a 104 per cent surcharge when dining at this restaurant."
The signs were signed off by "Xie Lao Song, Singapore".
The timing sparked speculation that the restaurant was making a political statement, as the signs appeared shortly after US President Donald Trump announced a 104 per cent tariff on Chinese goods.
However, a worker at the restaurant has since told The Straits Times that none of its employees put up the notice, calling it a "malicious prank".
The staff member, who declined to be named, added in Mandarin: "We've been open for over a decade. We would never do something so crass."
When ST visited the shop before noon on April 11, both signs had been removed.
The worker said the restaurant is investigating the incident and has not ruled out making a police report.
She also declined to reveal the owner's whereabouts, saying he was travelling for work.
Stomp has reached out to the restaurant for comment.
Netizens have had mixed reactions to the viral signs, with some slamming them as discriminatory and others applauding what they believed was an act of patriotism. Some commenters speculated it was a marketing stunt aimed at generating buzz.
As of now, the total US tariff rate on Chinese imports stands at 145 per cent, after Mr Trump raised new tariffs to 125 per cent earlier this week. This is on top of a 20 per cent additional duty imposed earlier in 2025.
