US tourist pays S$45 for meal at Newton Food Centre, says he prefers M’sia’s cheaper food

Tourist says he prefers Malaysia’s food over Singapore’s after finding Newton hawker meals too pricey

An American tourist’s TikTok video about the high cost of food at Newton Food Centre has sparked debate among netizens.

On 11 Sept, travel influencer Terry Pernell shared his experience in a TikTok post after visiting the hawker centre for lunch the day before.

In his clip, Mr Pernell revealed that 10 satay sticks had set him back S$10.

His entire meal for two, which included fried rice and several other dishes, came up to around S$45.

“This food better knock me off my feet,” he quipped before digging in.

After tasting the satay, Mr Pernell admitted it was “not bad”, even praising the peanut sauce.

Still, he felt the prices were steep, warning fellow tourists to “bring all [their] money” if they plan to eat in Singapore.

Towards the end of the clip, Mr Pernell repeatedly emphasised that Newton was essentially just a food court, driving home his point about the overpriced nature of the meal.

Tourist says Malaysia’s food wins for now

Speaking to MS News, Mr Pernell shared that having previously tried satay in Malaysia, he “had no expectations in Singapore”, preferring to go in “blind” to keep the experience authentic and fun.

That said, he concluded that “Malaysia wins” for him right now.

In his video, Mr Pernell remarked that while food in both countries “kind of taste the same”, he would “take Malaysia’s any day”.

He also wrote in his caption that Malaysia offered the “same vibes for half the price”.

Netizens share opinions on Singapore’s food prices

The video attracted more than 8,000 likes, with netizens flooding the comments section.

One user noted that Mr Pernell had chosen an “expensive hawker centre”, offering to recommend more affordable places.

Similarly, another called Newton a “tourist trap”, suggesting East Coast Lagoon Food Village as a better option.

Others rationalised the prices, saying higher costs reflect Singapore’s overall quality of life.

But some locals empathised with Mr Pernell, with one admitting he hates living in Singapore because it is so expensive.

A commenter also pointed out a silver lining: tipping is not customary in Singapore, unlike in the United States (US).

Lesson learnt about tourist spots

In response to MS News’ queries, Mr Pernell said he found the comments “hilarious”, as many pointed out the obvious fact that tourist spots are usually more expensive.

“Fair enough, lesson learnt,” he said, adding that he had gained “a ton” from the discussion and was grateful for the recommendations.

“I do want to go back to Singapore and try more local spots [that] people recommended in the comments,” he added.

Also read: MS Polls: Is hawker centre food getting too expensive? 71% of respondents ask for price caps

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Featured image adapted from @terrypernell on TikTok.