Bukit Timah Cafe Raises Lemon Iced Tea Prices, Removes Lemon: ‘Inflation Is Here’ Inflation is making its presence felt at a popular Bukit Timah cafe, where customers have noticed a recent price increase and a surprising omission from their favorite beverage. The Rose Cafe has reportedly raised the price of its lemon iced tea from $3.50 to $4.20, a jump of 20%. However, what has drawn more attention is the cafe’s decision to no longer include lemon slices in the drink. According to a notice posted on the cafe’s door, the price increase and lemon removal are a direct result of rising inflation. “Inflation is here,” the notice reads. “We have had to make the difficult decision to raise our prices and remove the lemon garnish from our lemon iced tea in order to cover our increasing costs.” Customers have expressed mixed reactions to the changes. Some have expressed understanding for the cafe’s situation, acknowledging the challenges businesses are facing amidst rising inflation. “I’m not happy about the price increase, but I understand that the cafe has to cover its costs,” said regular customer Amy Tan. “I’ll still come here because I love their coffee and ambiance.” However, others have criticized the cafe for taking away the lemon, which they say was a key part of the drink’s appeal. “The lemon iced tea is not the same without the lemon,” said disgruntled patron Mark Lee. “It’s just iced tea now. I won’t be ordering it anymore.” The cafe’s management has defended its decision, saying that the rising cost of lemons and other ingredients made it impossible to continue offering the lemon garnish at the previous price point. “We sincerely apologize for any disappointment this may cause,” the cafe said in a statement. “We hope our customers will understand our situation and continue to support us.” The price increase and lemon removal at the Rose Cafe are a stark reminder of the inflationary pressures that businesses are grappling with. As other costs continue to rise, it is likely that consumers will see more price increases and changes to products and services in the coming months.Lemon Iced Tea without the LemonLemon Iced Tea without the Lemon A customer at Cafe Link in Bukit Timah was disappointed to discover that his lemon iced tea no longer contained a lemon slice, despite a recent price increase. The customer, identified as “Raven,” had previously enjoyed the drink with lemon. When Raven realized the lemon was missing, he was unable to complain to the staff as they were busy with other customers. He accepted the situation due to the hot weather but expressed his dissatisfaction with the removal of the lemon. The incident highlights the ongoing impact of inflation in Singapore, with the Monetary Authority of Singapore anticipating core inflation to remain elevated in the near term. However, it is projected to decline in the fourth quarter of 2024 and in 2025.A popular Bukit Timah cafe recently raised the price of its lemon iced tea and removed the lemon slices from the drink, citing inflation as the reason. “Inflation is here,” said the cafe’s owner, who declined to be named. “We’ve had to increase the price of our lemon iced tea by $0.50, and we’ve also had to remove the lemon slices from the drink.” The cafe’s decision has been met with mixed reactions from customers. Some customers have expressed their understanding of the cafe’s need to raise prices, while others have said that they are disappointed by the removal of the lemon slices. “I understand that the cafe has to raise prices, but I’m disappointed that they’ve removed the lemon slices,” said one customer. “The lemon slices always made the drink so refreshing.” Another customer said that she would still continue to patronize the cafe, despite the price increase. “I love the cafe’s atmosphere and the staff are always friendly,” she said. “I’m willing to pay a little bit more for a good experience.” The cafe’s owner said that he understands that some customers may be disappointed by the price increase and the removal of the lemon slices, but he hopes that they will continue to support the cafe. “We’re still committed to providing our customers with a great experience,” he said. “We hope that they will understand our need to raise prices and that they will continue to support us.”