FRESH off the recent scandal of the RM50 sotong, a netizen has uploaded yet another blockbuster restaurant receipt to blow the minds of cost-conscious Malaysian diners.
Car salesperson Hairil Aien had embarked on a road trip taking in popular local tourist destinations in Selangor, Perak, Melaka and Pahang.
A couple of days ago, he stopped for breakfast at a diner at a popular tourist destination at the border of Selangor and Pahang.
He ordered a simple enough meal consisting of a two plain roti canais, one roti telur, a plain nasi lemak and a couple of drinks.
Nothing fancy, right? Just staple items that many Malaysians enjoy on a daily basis.
Only this time Hairil was presented with a bill totalling RM45, with the roti telur alone costing a whopping RM11!
It is not clear from his Facebook post whether the pricing was clearly displayed but he acknowledged that this was par for the course at many tourist traps, stating that the prices were even higher at some island destinations.
The intrepid traveller did not let the bill spoil his mood saying that the portion was much larger than usual and that the meal was delicious.
This did not, however, stop netizens from voicing their disgruntlement.
Some netizens also made fun of the poster’s pun of the above-sea-level roti telur.
Some simply noted that it being a rare excursion to this destination, it was fine to just take it on the chin.
Yes, the cost of raw materials is on the up but is there really any excuse for charging these prices? Perhaps the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry ought to pay this outlet a visit to see what is so special about its roti telur to justify such a price tag.
Furthermore, at a time when the hospitality and tourism industry is struggling to recover from the pandemic, shouldn’t more efforts be made to woo domestic tourists? Prices like these suggest that the restaurant may just be targeting the well-heeled or trying to create an illusion of false exclusivity.
Malaysians are, generally, a price-sensitive lot, even when it comes to whetting their voracious appetite for good food.
Perhaps the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture should launch a cuti-cuti murah campaign to encourage domestic travel. It would create a much needed boost for the travel industry and also encourage proprietors to be more price-sensitive to the current economic climate. – Dec 28, 2023
Main pic credit: Facebook/Hairil Aien
