When eating outside, the one thing we always look at on the menu (aside from the food) is the price. After all, we don’t mind splurging a little for food, but there is a limit to our wallet.
Unfortunately for this man, he ended up paying RM1196.80 for a single Barramundi (ikan siakap) in a restaurant in Langkawi. He claimed the restaurant had misinformed him of its size and stated there was an extra charge when he tried paying with his credit card. The restaurant however, has come forward to clear matters up.
The man, Mohd. Faris Zulkarnain, took to Facebook yesterday (4th November) to alert people of the matter. According to his post, he and his friends went to Langkawi for a retreat with their families. However, they didn’t expect to spend so much cash on a bill during the retreat.
Mohd. Faris explained they’d dropped by a certain restaurant to eat. He admitted it was a bit pricy, but they were willing to shell out the money. They ordered enough for 7 adults and asked for two servings of Barramundi assuming it would be just right for them. However, a waiter approached them and stated they had one big fish. The waiter gave a rough estimation of the size with their hands and they agreed to it. To their surprise, the fish was much bigger than expected. According to Mohd. Farris, it was enough to feed at least 30 people.
As the bill was over RM1000, he opted to pay by card instead of cash. But, Mohd. Faris was apparently informed that there would be an additional charge of 5% if he did so. “Imagine how much the charge would be if (they) took 5% from nearly RM2000,” he lamented. The Facebook user also claimed he was not the only one with a pricy bill. Two other groups also paid around RM800 each for their bills.
Needless to say, the post sent many into an uproar, with plenty demanding to know the name of the restaurant. As it turned out, there was no need for the demands. Norasyikin Musa, owner of the restaurant Terapung Sas Rimba came forward to clarify the story. She explained the price for a Barramundi in her restaurant is RM16 per 100 gram. In fact, it is stated on the menu itself.
Knowing that the customer had ordered a large fish, she made several offers to change their minds. “I had already told them that the fish they ordered, which weighs roughly 7kg, was not (meant to be) sold, but kept in (an enclosure) for customers to view,” she said, as quoted by Harian Metro.
Norasyikin had apparently suggested the customer take a smaller fish like a red snapper (ikan merah) or a grouper (ikan kerapu) which would only weigh 1.5kg. According to her, it was better suited for their serving size. Additionally, she also asked if the customer would like to view the fish before cooking it. They rejected the offer. The restaurant owner denied the allegation that they charged their customers extra if they used a credit card to pay.
There’s an age old saying which goes: “The customer is always right“. However, this time, the customer may have been wrong, if the story Norasyikin told is true. Either way, do make sure to check your serving size and prices before you order! After all, nobody wants to waste money or food.
Sources: Harian Metro, Oh Bulan! (1)(2), Facebook
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