I really wonder why on earth is KBOX awarded with the Superbrand Status. Is it because it charges the titbits $5+++ per bowl? Is it because it has substandard toilets where the doors can't be closed and the toilet bowls can't be flushed? Is it because the aircons are so bloody cold they threaten to freeze people to death? Or is it because it wants to exercise monopoly so much that it threatens to confiscate any outside food and drinks (read:Willy's bottle)? Or is it because it prints its prices at such a cleverly subtle way that customers have to pay much more and not have the right to complain?

Minsee, Willy and I paid around $16 each for 4 hours on a weekday. I've never paid so much for KBOX before honestly. And the satisfaction I got wasn't even worth $16. So bloody expensive.

Firstly it was so cold we were shivering in the room. It's not like we sang 北极雪 or something you know. And my hotness certainly did not help improve matters. Maybe they make the room cold on purpose so you will get so cold to the extent that you need to buy hot drinks from them. Then they earn more money.

Secondly their toilets suck big time. Their toilets are either littered with cigarette butts, filled with smoking people who stink up the entire toilet, have faulty toilet bowls or have doors that can't be locked. Contrary to their relatively beautiful shop fronts, their toilets look exactly like the ideal setting for horror movies. If they have the money to build those showcases and shop fronts, why can't they do something about the toilets? Superbrand status so what? Their toilets so do not fit the "Superbrand Status". People singing at KBOX always need to pee alot and this is the kind of toilet we're going to get?

The thing about their stupid titbits. One miserable bowl of titbits already costs $5+++! How on earth is that stupid bowl of titbits worth $5+++? They are not even titbits, they are NUTS. Go NTUC buy one big packet of nuts only costs $2 plus lah. That one stupid bowl of nuts is not even worth 50 cents and they have the audacity to charge $5+++ per bowl! So what if they have free refills? Can you imagine how many bowls of nuts you have to eat to make your money worthwhile? That's nuts.

Providing us with nuts gives them yet another chance to earn money. Singing+eating nuts=dry throat=thirsty. When we are thirsty what do we do? Order drinks from them. And how much is one glass of drink? $6. $6 leh!!! I can buy 5 cans of drinks from kopitiams. 5 cans you know? Plus you can recycle the cans and do a part for the environment.

KBOX exercises monopoly like anything. What happens to our consumer welfare? I think we even have negative consumer surplus. Consumer shortage. It refuses outside food and drinks, which incidentally include water bottles. WATER BOTTLES. I never knew our belongings are under the outside drinks category. Plus their food are not great or anything, yet they charge such expensive prices for ala carte. In any case you'll realise they have mostly fried food for ala carte. Low costs, yet they earn much more since people will be thirsty after eating them. If you don't want people to bring outside food and drinks, then why charge customers such high prices? Exploiting us. Charging high prices only make people want to bring outside food and drinks MORE. Don't they know the rebellious nature of people? The more you don't want them to do something, the more they want to do it.

And I hate it when they put up relatively reasonable prices for singing sessions with an infinite number of + behind the numbers. Sure, they remind us of the service tax and whatever nonsense they have that we have to pay but naturally you wouldn't expect yourself to pay that much an amount. It's damn irritating. And is there any quality service to speak of? Sucky toilets, expensive food and drinks and employees coming in practically every second to chase you out of the room when the time is up and insisting that you pay there and then. Grr.

So how is my $16 well-spent? I don't even get the equal amount of satisfaction in return. And it doesn't help when some stupid person reminded you that he only paid $3 for pool and that the amount you spent in KBOX can be used to buy a pizza at Pastamania.

RAH RAH RAH.