A kopitiam owner in Puchong has sparked online discussion after reprimanding patrons for drinking from their own water bottles inside his establishment.
The incident gained attention on Facebook, where a woman recounted an unpleasant encounter her family had at the coffeeshop in Meranti Jaya.
According to the woman, she, her husband, and their son were dining when the owner abruptly approached their table and loudly admonished them, saying, ‘No outside drinks allowed, put your water bottle away!’
Naturally taken aback, the family questioned the owner’s aggressive approach, prompting the woman’s husband to inquire why a more polite approach wasn’t used.
To her surprise, the coffeeshop owner appeared even more incensed by her husband’s response.
“He seemed ready to lash out at my husband! His wife intervened, attempting to calm him down. However, her language was equally abrasive; she remarked, ‘Don’t bother arguing with people who don’t have money’,” she recounted.
The woman acknowledged the presence of a ‘No outside drinks allowed’ sign in the shop, though they hadn’t noticed it on their inaugural visit.
“We ordered three dishes among the three of us. If he preferred us to each order a drink, we wouldn’t have minded. But there was no need for the hostility; a polite request would have sufficed,” she pondered.
A video capturing the coffeeshop owner’s outburst, shouting, “Are you brainless? It’s common knowledge that outside drinks are prohibited!” during the altercation, has circulated widely across various Puchong Facebook community groups.
The coffeeshop owners have issued an apology regarding the incident and have shared their perspective.
“In our interaction with the customer and her family at our coffeeshop, we initially offered them drinks, but ceased upon learning they weren’t interested,” stated Mei Yee Kopitiam Meranti Jaya in a Facebook post.
"However, when one of our staff noticed them drinking from their own water bottle later, we approached them to inform about our ‘No outside drinks’ policy, pointing out the signage displayed on our walls.
“We acknowledge that our communication in this instance was not delivered with the best tone. We sincerely apologize for any discomfort caused by our attitude and approach,” they expressed.
The coffeeshop emphasized their dependence on beverage sales for profitability, hence the implementation of such a rule.
Regarding the allegation that they commented on the financial status of customers who don’t order drinks, they clarified, “We can confirm that no such statement was made. We urge against being swayed by such misrepresentations.”
Source Link: SAYS