Popular Ipoh food vendor defends RM35 Khao Mok chicken rice pricing following online criticism

The Sun

19-07-2025

A Malaysian man recently criticised a popular food vendor based in Ipoh, Perak, for allegedly charging exorbitant prices for a Thai-style chicken and rice dish.
The vendor, Dania Sedek, previously went viral in 2023 for selling an omelette dish priced at RM13.
Sharing his frustration on Threads, the man urged local businesses to stop 'normalising' inflated prices for what is essentially a simple dish.
In a screenshot attached to the post, the Khao Mok-style chicken with rice, served with sauce and toppings, was priced at RM35 — labelled as the 'tour price'.
'Yes, you can say I'm not the target market. If one cannot afford it, then don't buy it,' he wrote.
He also warned that other vendors may follow suit and increase their prices, encouraged by the support and hype such businesses receive.
On TikTok, Dania received pushback over the pricing, with the comments echoing similar sentiments as the man.
Dania has since responded to these comments in another TikTok post, justifying the expensive pricing by stating the use of good quality ingredients, hygienic food preparation and fair wages for her staff.
She further explained that her establishment does not 'mark up' costs at a whim and only prices her food following the actual value she and her team have 'worked on'.
'We understand that not everyone will agree but we are confident that once customers taste the food themselves, looking at several aspects, InsyaAllah, they will understand why,' she concluded the TikTok video.