Why a Tourist’s Outrage Over a Shocking $1,000 Seafood Restaurant Bill Led to a Call to the Police

• A Japanese tourist called the police after receiving a $1,000 bill at a restaurant.
• Junko Shinba, visiting Singapore, claimed she was not informed of the cost beforehand.
• She ordered an Alaskan King Crab dish that weighed almost eight pounds, resulting in the unexpected high price.

A Japanese tourist visiting Singapore called the police after being shocked by a $1,000 bill at a local restaurant. Junko Shinba, who did not receive prior information about the high cost, expressed her dissatisfaction with the meal’s pricing.

According to an article by Singaporean outlet AsiaOne, Shinba discovered that the chili crab dish she ordered from Seafood Paradise restaurant cost approximately $680. She explained that the waiter had recommended the dish, which is well-known in Singapore and Malaysia.

However, the dish was prepared with an Alaskan King Crab, which is priced at around $20 per 100 grams at Seafood Paradise, whereas chili crab is traditionally made with mud crabs.

Shinba claimed that the waiter mentioned the crab as a $20 dish, without clarifying that it was priced per 100 grams, as reported by AsiaOne.

Responding to Shinba’s complaint, a representative of Paradise Group, the owner of Seafood Paradise, stated that the entire Alaskan King Crab was shown to Shinba’s group of four before preparation, in order to prevent any miscommunication.

Shinba, however, asserted that she was not informed that the whole crab would be cooked solely for their group, assuming they would receive only a portion of the crab.

As a result, Shinba received an Alaskan King Crab weighing around 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds), which amounted to approximately $680, as shown in a receipt published by AsiaOne.

Unable to finish the large quantity of food, Shinba’s group accumulated a total bill of nearly $1,000, including other dishes.

Consequently, Shinba insisted that Seafood Paradise call the police, who arrived at the scene and participated in a discussion. Eventually, Shinba’s friend paid for the meal with his credit card after receiving a discount of approximately $78.

A spokesperson for Paradise Group mentioned that their restaurant manager assisted Shinba in making a police report and offered the discount as a gesture of goodwill.

Shinba also reached out to the Singapore Tourism Board and her case was referred to the Consumers Association of Singapore, according to AsiaOne.

While Seafood Paradise lists the prices of crab dishes ranging from $7.90 to $8.60 per 100 grams, they have labeled the cost of their Alaskan King Crab dish as “seasonal” on their menu. Snow crab dishes are priced at $19.60 per 100 grams.

The Singapore Police Force declined to comment on Shinba’s case due to the confidentiality of their police investigations. Requests for comments from Insider were not immediately answered by representatives of Paradise Group, the Singapore Tourism Board, and the Consumers Association of Singapore.