Primary school canteen stall owner whose videos went viral is shutting down stall after 'complaint'
A primary school canteen stall owner, known for social media clips detailing his experiences at work, says he is planning to shut down his stall following a complaint about a viral video.
Rayner Tan, 27, better known by his social media handle @veg.eng, previously went viral for a video in which he corrected a boy for tossing a two-dollar note onto the counter while ordering food.
The clip has been taken down after a "complaint" to Mee Toh School, he said, adding that dealing with "school, authorities, and parents" had been difficult.
Difficulties dealing with school, authorities, parents
Breaking the "unfortunate" news on day 62 of his canteen stall journey, Mr Tan told his almost 18,000 Instagram followers that he would not be renewing his lease in 2026.
"It's been a difficult time dealing with the school, authorities and parents," he said, adding that he is figuring out his next steps.
Mr Tan revealed that a complaint had been lodged with the school over the viral video and that he was obliged to remove the video, along with several others.
He also cited struggles with an "unsustainable income". He thanked netizens for their "positive comments, support and encouragement, and making (his) videos go viral".
Mr Tan has since removed the original video and replaced it with another version that omits references to the complaint and the challenges he faced.
In response to Stomp's queries, principal of Mee Toh School Kelvin Tay said the school had received feedback from "concerned parents and members of the public" regarding a video that showed Mr Tan managing his stall and interacting with students.
As he had not sought parental consent before filming or recording the students, the clip was taken down.
"Mr Tan made the decision not to renew the lease on his own accord. The school did not ask him to discontinue his lease," said Mr Tay.
Stomp has reached out to Rayner Tan for comment.
'Thank you for trying to make a difference'
Since the original announcement was posted on Instagram on Nov 17, the video has garnered more than 4,300 likes and over 150 comments, with netizens offering words of encouragement and support.
Many commenters wrote that they were looking forward to Mr Tan's next adventure, and that "good things" had come out of his experience.
Netizens also thanked him for "trying to make a difference" with the children, with several adding that they would miss him and his content.
"Very sad to hear about this," one commented. Others expressed frustration over the complaint filed about his viral video, describing the action as "entitled".
Editor's note: This story has been updated with Mee Toh School's statement.
