Woman with kids chased away from reserved tables by zi char stall that pays higher rental
Welcome to Stomping Ground - a space where Stompers share reflections, personal essays and social commentaries that spark conversation and insight.
Is it right for coffee shop stalls to chope tables for their own customers even when there aren't any customers?
That is the question posed by Stomper Anonymous, who said a zi char stall chased her away from a vacant table.
The incident occurred at Block 273 Bukit Batok East Avenue 4 on Nov 15 at around 1pm.
Anonymous said: "I would like to share my encounter and understand the truth about coffee shop stalls reserving tables even without customers' reservations.
"I was with my preschoolers at this coffee shop where the zi char stall had reserved a few tables for their own customers. When we arrived, there were barely any tables left and those still vacant were very dirty. Therefore, we sat at one of the smaller reserved tables, seeing that there were no customers at that time.
"Right after settling down with my small kids, the zi char stall auntie walked over to ask if we're eating. I said, no, we're not, and she immediately chased us off, exclaiming that those tables were reserved by them because they pay higher rental than others."
The Stomper shared photos showing 'reserved' signs on some tables at the coffee shop and asked: "I just want to clarify if it is indeed their right to reserve those tables. Do they actually need to pay rent to reserve those tables for themselves?
"If they had indeed paid rental for those tables, it's understandable that they chased us away. If they did not, it's very selfish to reserve so many tables when the other tables around the coffee shop are occupied.
"People come and go when it's lunchtime, while zi char stall customers usually come in the evening."
View more photos in the gallery.
Have your say on Stomping Ground! Write to us at stomp@sph.com.sg or WhatsApp 9384 3761.
