On Tuesday, March 5th, a kopitiam in Puchong stirred up social media after its owner publicly criticized customers as “brainless” for bringing outside drinks into the establishment. The incident quickly gained traction online, sparking widespread discussion about business etiquette and customer relations.
On the same day, the kopitiam’s owner, Chow, along with his wife and legal team, held a press conference to apologize and provide their perspective on the incident. Chow acknowledged losing his temper after being confronted by the customer’s husband but refuted claims of rushing towards them aggressively. He admitted to retracting his words, emphasizing that he approached the family calmly and requested them politely to keep their outside bottles away.
Chow recounted the sequence of events, stating that he calmly asked the customers to keep their outside bottles away but was met with scolding when the customer objected. Despite attempting to defuse the situation, the customer persisted in expressing dissatisfaction, attracting the attention of other patrons. Feeling compelled to intervene, Chow admitted to losing his temper and calling the customer “brainless.” However, before they departed, he apologized and retracted his words, seeking to resolve the conflict amicably.
Chow emphasized the importance of drink purchases to their sales but clarified that he has never insulted customers for not buying drinks. Disputing the customer’s claim, Chow’s wife, Lai, vehemently denied ever instructing him not to argue with “poor customers” over a single cup of drink. Lai affirmed that throughout her career, she has never labelled anyone as poor for not purchasing their drinks, asserting that they respect all customers regardless of their order size, even if there’s only one drink on the table.
Lai emphasized that she has prominently displayed multiple signs in the restaurant informing customers of the no outside food and beverage policy, stating that even a blind person could see them. She expressed understanding if it was a customer’s first visit but asserted that if they couldn’t accept the policy, they had the right to choose not to dine there. Lai adamantly denied coercion, affirming that she has never forced anyone to patronize their establishment against their will.
Since the incident, the couple revealed they’ve been inundated with threatening phone calls, while their business has suffered a significant 20% decline in sales. Chow lamented being recognized as the “famous person on FB” due to the viral post. Considering legal action for defamation, Chow highlighted the seriousness of the situation and its impact on their livelihood.
