Extra Curry, Not CNY Surcharge
The nasi lemak stall at the centre of the controversy has clarified that the S$1 charge reflected on the receipt was not a Chinese New Year (CNY) surcharge. It was instead payment for extra curry sauce.
Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang, located at Admiralty Place, said the confusion arose because its point-of-sale (POS) system did not have a separate button for additional curry.
Staff therefore used the S$1 “CNY surcharge” option to reflect the added item. The stall later added a dedicated option for curry sauce. Sources say the stall confirmed that the issue had been resolved.
The stall operator maintained on a Google review response that that the wording on the receipt was due to a technical limitation of the cashier system rather than an early festive charge.
‘It’s only January 2026’
The issue first surfaced after a receipt image was posted on the Complaint Singapore Facebook page on Jan 6. The post showed a S$1 line item labelled “CNY surcharge” added to a food order at the Admiralty food court, more than a month before Chinese New Year.
According to the receipt, the order consisted of a S$6.50 chicken cutlet curry rice and S$2.30 mackerel otah, with the additional S$1 charge bringing the total to S$9.80. The post questioned whether it was appropriate to impose a CNY-related fee so early in the year.
The image circulated widely online, drawing attention across multiple platforms and prompting scrutiny of the charge shown on the receipt.
Receipt Details & Scrutiny Over Pricing Clarity
The receipt image became a focal point for discussion, with attention on the labelling of the S$1 charge. While the stall later said the fee corresponded to extra curry, the wording on the receipt led to confusion over whether a festive surcharge had been applied prematurely.
What CNY Surcharges are Typically for
According to a previous report by Yahoo! News, some businesses impose Chinese New Year surcharges before the festive period to cope with increased operating costs and higher customer demand.
These charges may also help cover staff incentives and offset revenue losses during holiday closures.
Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) has reportedly reminded businesses that any seasonal surcharges should be clearly communicated to customers, particularly during major festive periods, to avoid misunderstandings over pricing.
Find a discussion here:
CNY Surcharge arrived early this year
byu/Beaveric inSMRTRabak
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