Bukit Timah stall denies bullying 86-year-old uncle: 'Customer is not always right'
Flaky feud?
An elderly customer was allegedly treated rudely and turned away by a stall at the interim Bukit Timah Wet Market & Food Centre.
The stall, Dough, however, fired back at the accusations and said the customer was the disrespectful one.
Stomper Jimmy shared his 86-year-old uncle's May 2 experience at Dough, which sells pastries and baked goods.
Jimmy said: "Don't visit this pastry stall, which is run by two rude youngsters.
"My uncle, who is a bit slow, ordered plain croissants from the stall by pointing at the picture, but the counter staff insisted that he pronounce the words aloud.
"When I read out the words to him, the staff still wasn't happy.
"Then, just as we thought everything was over, and even after packing the food, the hawker took the food back and said to my uncle, 'I am not selling to you!'
"Such hawkers are bullying seniors."
When contacted by Stomp, Dough denied getting crusty.
Dough told Stomp on May 8: "Oh. Yes I remember this customer.
"Well, if they don't know how to respect others, then I feel they don't deserve to get respect despite what age you are.
"Just because we are in the service line, we have to endure all the rude comments or rude behaviour from customers?
"Making customers read their order is to confirm we get the correct order. We have experienced too many customers who point at what they want, only to start making a fuss when we pack the wrong buns.
"Do you also know if the buns, which have filling in them, have been packed in plastic, all the more we are unable to take them out, put them back on display and continue selling them? We have to dispose of the buns. Hence, we require customers to read their order in order to ensure it is correct.
"Just because we are younger, they claim that we are bullying elders. It is not about how old you are.
"When the old uncle was unable to pronounce his order and his companion helped him, we accepted it and that was why I still took their order and sold it to them.
"They are saying we were not happy, but why didn't they dare to mention how his old uncle reacted??!! It was this old uncle who kept giving us a very annoyed face all the way, like we owed him. If you feel so annoyed by us, then I feel you can just visit other bakeries.
"A very simple request for them to read their order is not that hard. But if you feel we are rude just because we expect you to read, then we have no comments. Because we have experienced too much of getting the wrong items for customers when they point to order.
"If they want to say that we bully an old person, I won't explain more because all I can say is I have plenty of old customers, even those who are above 86 years old!
"To us, if you want to be respected, please respect others first. What kind of service you want is what kind of attitude you give people.
"Sorry, I won't agree the 'customer is always right'. Because customers always make it seem like they are the right ones since they are the ones voicing the complaints, while all of us in the service line have to keep quiet.
"Thank you for reaching out to us. We sincerely appreciate it. Thank you."
