PUBLISHED ONJuly 02, 2026 4:04 AMBYWong Dao EnA woman was disgusted after allegedly finding a lizard in her fried rice from Wok Hey — but the F&B business said its investigations indicate that the pest did not originate from their shop.
The diner had ordered from Wok Hey's Tampines One outlet on June 28, and had taken three bites of the meal before she discovered the lizard, according to Mothership.
Photographs showed a brown lizard measuring about the same length as the bowl of the spoon head laying among rice grains.
The woman discarded the meal upon seeing the animal, and contacted Wok Hey's customer service where she was offered two complimentary meals.
However, she declined the offer, stating that she had instead asked for a $7.30 refund because she "will not want to eat there again".
The woman also said that she contacted Singapore Food Agency (SFA) about the incident.
A spokesperson for Wok Hey told AsiaOne that the customer had reported the incident on the following day, to which the company "immediately commenced an internal review".
The review included an examination of the Tampines One outlet's CCTV footage, environment, and operational processes.
"Based on our findings to date, the meal was freshly prepared and left our outlet in line with our food safety and operational standards," the spokesperson said.
A pest control vendor engaged by Wok Hey identified the lizard as a common house lizard, and "found no sign of lizard activity at the outlet".
"Preliminary investigation shows that the lizard did not originate from the outlet," the spokesperson added.
Wok Hey said it has processed a full refund to the customer, and remained in contact to "better understand the circumstances surrounding the matter".
The spokesperson said that it "maintains strict food safety and quality controls across all outlets", with regular cleaning routines and ongoing pest management.
In response to AsiaOne's queries, SFA said that it is aware of the matter and is currently looking into it, adding that it takes a serious view towards food safety.
"As part of the enquiry and gathering of evidence, SFA may engage the feedback provider for more details and will not hesitate to take enforcement action if sufficient evidence has been obtained," the agency said.
SFA added that "food safety is a joint responsibility", stating that while the agency puts in place and enforces regulatory measures, food operators must also play their part by adhering to good food hygiene and preparation practices, including ensuring that their premises are "clean and well-maintained".
Wok Hey will "fully cooperate" with SFA to support their investigation, its spokesperson told AsiaOne.
The public can report any concerns about food safety practices by food operators to SFA via its online feedback form.
[[nid:739001]]