A coffee shop along Queenstreet has come under scrutiny for allegedly stopping a diner from drinking water from her own bottle despite the woman having bought food from their establishment and finishing the food, according to Shin Min Daily News.
The incident occurred when a 62-year-old woman, Ms. Chen, visited the coffee shop to have a meal and wanted to take her medicine with water. This unexpected encounter has left her feeling confused and frustrated.
An Unpleasant Surprise
Ms. Chen had just finished her meal and needed to swallow her medicine. Like many people her age, she often needs to take medication when she goes out.
She had brought her own bottle of water to the coffee shop and intended to drink from it to aid in swallowing the medicine. However, as she was about to take a sip, a staff member allegedly stopped her from doing so.
Understandably perplexed, Ms. Chen questioned why she couldn’t drink still water from her own bottle. She expressed her confusion, stating that she had visited this coffee shop several times before and had never encountered such a situation.
As an elderly individual, she relies on carrying her own bottle of water wherever she goes.
It was later revealed that the coffee shop has been enforcing a policy against outside food and drinks for a considerable period. Signs reminding patrons not to bring their own food and beverages were prominently displayed within the premises.
The drinks stall owner clarified that staff members have consistently reminded diners not to place their water bottles on the table.
The owner of the coffee shop explained the rationale behind their strict policy. Unlike a hawker center, the coffee shop is privately owned, and expenses such as rent and employees’ salaries need to be accounted for.
To maintain control over costs, the establishment prohibits diners from bringing in outside food and beverages, including plain water.
The owner acknowledged that some elderly customers might require plain water when they are taking their medicine and in such cases, the coffee shop readily provides plain water free of charge upon request.