The New Paper decided to put pizzas from three popular pizza home deliveries to the measuring tape.

One pizza each was ordered from Canadian Pizza, Pizza Hut and Sarpino's Pizza.

To ensure that the test was fair, all orders were for the 12-inch Hawaiian pizza.

Each pizza was then measured with a 12-inch ruler.

The result? All three pizzas came up to 11.5 inches, 0.5 inches (1.3cm) short of the promised diameter.

Oops.

But don't feel short-changed.

The small difference could arise from shrinking during the baking process, said a manager of Sarpino's Pizza.

'We ensure that the dough touches the edge of the pan before baking,' said Mr Ang Leong Kee, 44.

'We wouldn't compromise the quality or quantity.'

Canadian Pizza's marketing manager gave a similar explanation for the 1.3cm difference.

'The pizzas are made (using) a fixed 12-inch pan, but the pizzas may shrink a little during baking,' said Mr Seng Woon Fa, 33.

Mr Seng added that the pans were on display at some Canadian Pizza outlets so customers can see the sizes for themselves.

The marketing director of Pizza Hut said a variance of 1.3cm was normal.

Miss Juliana Lim, 36, said: 'The size of a pizza actually depends on the dough weight, which we have not changed.'

However, while sizes have not gone down, prices here have gone up to cope with the rising costs of ingredients and flour.

Still, some Singaporeans The New Paper spoke to felt that food servings in general are getting smaller.

Kelvin Tionardi Owen, 15, a secondary school student, said: 'Burgers are getting smaller and my iced Milo has less Milo and more ice.'

When contacted, one burger chain's spokesman would not comment on whether the burgers have in fact gotsmaller.

The spokesman said that the chain was keeping in touch with its suppliers to gauge the impact of rising costs on its operations.

But what about the staple hawker food loved by locals?

HAWKER FOOD GETTING PRICIER?

Chew Jek Hui, 14, who mostly eats at hawker centres, complained that although the prices had gone up, the portion sizes remained the same.

It was the same for Ms Wenda Ng, 39, who noted that prices had jumped.

Some stalls, however, are absorbing the cost increases for fear of complaints, whereas others have made small increase of 10 cents.

Genevieve Teo, 13, observed that despite the rising costs, loyalty to a stall pays off.

Her mother often got extra without paying more at her regular eating place, she said.

'My mother asks for more soup for beef noodles and gets it at no extra cost.'

This story was first published on Jan 24, 2008.