Back in 2016, when the first Michelin Star eateries were revealed in Singapore, everyone was talking about this man: Chan Hon Meng.
He became one of the two hawkers to get a Michelin Star, and from then on, he rebranded his then Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle into the Hawker Chan brand, with five outlets in Singapore and many more outlets globally.
The other hawker that won the star in 2016 then, Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, remained a hawker, and still won a star this year.
Hawker Chan kept the one-star award for four years (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019), but in 2021 (there wasn’t any Michelin Star guide in 2020 due to COVID-19), Hawker Chan lost its one-star status.
This year, he didn’t get any star too, but that wasn’t what everyone was talking about.
Instead, a news report from Shin Min Daily had everyone talking.
Hawker Chan Suddenly Raised Prices by Over 40% & the Only Difference is an Extra Half an Egg
According to a customer who went to the Hawker Chan outlet at the Plaza Singapura food court on the sixth floor almost every week, he was shocked to realise that a bowl of roasted pork rice now cost $8.20.
The issue?
It used to cost $5.80.
That means the increase is more than 40%.
The customer was so shocked, he even repeatedly confirm with the cashier on the price raise.
However, he added that there was an extra half piece of egg.
That must’ve been the most expensive egg in Singapore.
Price Increase is Due to Rising Operating Costs
A Hawker Chan spokesperson has confirmed the price change, citing rising operating cost as the reason.
The spokesperson said that prices of cooking oil, pork, gas and utility bills have all increased. He added that should prices of these stabilise, they will make further price adjustments.
According to Shin Min reporter’s checks, not all dishes have such a drastic change: its signature soy sauce chicken rice has raised from $5.50 to $6.80, which is about 25% increase, while its char siew rice and pork ribs rice raised from S$5.50 to S$7.80, which is more than 40%, too.
Of course, this means that Hawker Chan might no longer be able to claim that they’re offering affordable Michelin-Starred food anymore: firstly, they’re no longer that affordable and secondly, they’ve lost their star.
Featured Image: Faceboook (Philip Ang & Shin Min Daily News 新明日报)