JB hotel offers different wedding package costs for different races, allegedly due to cuisine prices

JB hotel has different wedding package costs based on race

A photo of wedding package costs advertised at a Johor Bahru (JB) hotel has raised eyebrows due to the differing costs based on race.

The post on the r/malaysia subreddit showed the advertisement by the Berjaya Waterfront Hotel in JB.

Three wedding package prizes were offered. RM788 (S$237) per table of 10 for the Malay package, RM1,888 (S$570) per table for the Chinese, and RM1,388 (S$419) per table for the Indian wedding.

Different prices allegedly due to varying cuisine costs

Despite the initial bad look of charging different races varied prices, netizens of the Malaysia subreddit offered explanations behind the variation of prices.

One netizen attributed the lower price for Malay weddings to the fact that Muslims do not drink alcohol. Adding alcohol to the banquet meant additional costs.

However, several netizens then debated over whether alcohol was included in such prices

Another user claiming to have organised events for Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, and Deepavali also offered an explanation for the varied costs based on just cuisine alone, without taking alcohol into consideration.

According to them, the Malay events were the cheapest as many dishes such as satay and lemang could be purchased from suppliers. On top of that, they said that Malay cuisine used cheaper “Asian spices”.

On the other hand, Indian dishes use expensive spices and herbs. The commenter claimed to have been told 10 grams of saffron cost RM60 (S$18). On top of that, Indian events usually served more costly mutton over beef.

As for the Chinese events, the commenter said that many dishes were expensive like live “XXL size” prawns, fish maw, abalone, lotus vegetables, and large fish.

The commenter thus opined that the price offered by the hotel was “quite reasonable” based on cuisine prices.

Netizen claims Malay weddings are more low-key

Another user also gave their two cents, claiming that Malay weddings, on top of cheaper food, were more low-key. They claim that guests would sit in for a meal and thereafter leave.

Indian weddings on the other hand were supposedly “way more involved” and formalised events, and served more food than Malay weddings.

The user had no experience with Chinese weddings.

However, another netizen came to a different conclusion upon seeing the advertisement.

“We spend WAYYY too much for weddings,” they wrote.

Also read: S’pore couple holds wedding at Sengkang HDB pavilion, costs just S$10K for 15 tables

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Featured image adapted from u/Ubiwan96 on Reddit.