A foreign tourist in Malaysia unknowingly kicked off a debate about food prices after he paid RM32 for a plate of mixed rice and called it “very cheap”, much to the shock of nearby Malaysians.
Took almost every dish like it was his personal tasting menu
The incident was shared on Facebook, where a Malaysian man said he spotted the tourist at a mixed rice stall.
Judging from his plate, the tourist seemed to be a first-timer, he helped himself to 8 to 9 dishes, including two types of meat, taking “a bit of everything” like he was sampling a buffet.
By the time he reached the counter, the cashier keyed in the price: RM32.
The Malaysian, meanwhile, felt the pain on behalf of the tourist, describing the price as enough to make him feel “toothache”.
Tourist, however, was delighted
But instead of being shocked, the tourist grinned, handed over the money, and happily told the cashier:
Thank you! Very cheap!”
He then sat down to enjoy his mountain of chap fan like everything was perfectly normal.
Malaysians: He’s not the pitiful one. We are.
The comments section quickly turned into a reality check.
Many Malaysians said RM32 may sting locals, but for someone earning in euros, pounds or US dollars, the meal probably costs the equivalent of a few ringgit.
Some pointed out that the same amount of food overseas would be three to four times more expensive, especially in Australia or Europe.
Others joked that the tourist wasn’t being gullible — he genuinely thought he scored a great deal.
One popular sentiment:
If you don’t think it’s cheap, that’s you. He definitely thinks it’s cheap.”
“God-tier price” to them, “pain price” to us
Several users also noted that it made sense for the tourist to try a little of every dish instead of ordering multiple plates, calling mixed rice “the cheapest buffet a solo traveller can get”.
For Malaysians, though, RM32 for chap fan is enough to trigger budgeting mode.
For tourists, it’s just another meal that costs less than coffee back home.
