21-9-2023 (SINGAPORE) Seafood Paradise, located in Clarke Quay, is embroiled in a dispute following a police report filed by a tourist who claimed to have been charged an exorbitant S$900 for a crab she ordered. The incident highlights the importance of clear communication between businesses and customers regarding product prices to avoid such disputes.
Instances where disgruntled consumers end up paying more than they anticipated can still occur despite efforts to prevent hidden costs.
The recent controversy arose when a tourist expressed shock over the cost of the crab she ordered at Seafood Paradise, which amounted to a staggering S$900. Subsequently, she lodged a police report. Seafood Paradise is under the parent company Paradise Group, which later issued a statement refuting what they termed “inaccurate information” shared by the customer.
The Paradise Group contended that their restaurant staff had effectively communicated the price and weight of the crab to the customers, even bringing the entire crab to their table.
Earlier this week, AsiaOne reported the incident, involving a Japanese tourist who was dining with family and friends. She claimed that they were not informed about the total weight of the crab and were surprised to receive the entire crab, as other restaurants typically serve crab in partial portions.
In response to the hefty bill, the tourist filed a police report and contacted the Singapore Tourism Board. Eventually, the restaurant manager reportedly offered a discount of S$107.40 off the total bill.
The AsiaOne report gained significant traction on Facebook, with 721 shares and over 1,700 comments at the time of reporting.
On Wednesday, Paradise Group, overseeing Seafood Paradise, issued a statement addressing the incident and seeking to rectify the situation. They asserted that the customers’ claims were “inaccurate” and highlighted key points to clarify their position.
Firstly, Paradise Group emphasized that their restaurant staff had communicated the price of the Alaskan King Crab, which was S$26.80 per 100g, to the customers on two occasions. This information was also displayed on the menu.
Paradise Group staff allegedly pointed to the menu while relaying the price and informed the customers that the crab weighed 3.5kg. They even brought the crab to the customers’ table to ensure there was no misunderstanding.
Paradise Group explained that live seafood is typically served and sold as a whole item, addressing the tourist’s claim that she was unaware they would receive the entire crab. They stated that dividing it into partial portions would render the remaining portion no longer classified as live seafood.
Despite receiving compliments about the meal, Paradise Group revealed that the diners initially refused to settle the bill, with one of them indicating a lack of funds to cover the cost. In response, the restaurant manager offered a goodwill discount of S$107.40.
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