Woman berates 7-Eleven staff in Hougang after being denied free paper cups: ‘How self-entitled can she be?’
A woman was caught on camera demanding free paper cups from a 7-Eleven outlet in Hougang and berating a staff member who repeatedly told her it was against store policy.
In a post shared on the Complaint Singapore Facebook Group on May 23, user Tiffennie Low described the incident as a “drama that really made me shake my head”.
The one-minute-15-second video shows a woman and a man standing at the store’s beverages section with a plastic bag containing at least two 1-litre soft drink bottles. The woman can be heard saying she did not want to pay $1.50 for a cup of ice.
When the female staff member explained that she was not allowed to give out free cups, the woman demanded to speak to the person in charge, doubling down even after being told no and that the store’s security cameras monitored staff movements.
At one point, the woman accused the employee: “You yourself said it’s one cent or free”, and insisted she could give one cent for it.
“I do not want to spoil your night, please,” the employee pleaded, while continuing to suggest purchasing a cup of ice for $1.50 instead.
The woman responded with something unintelligible, followed by: “Apologising is not going to help”.
She then threatened to simply take the cup and leave after the employee apologised to her. “It’s a paper cup.”
According to Ms Low’s caption, the staff member had initially offered to give one cup for free, but the woman allegedly demanded three instead.
When the staff said she was unable to do so, the customer reportedly “kept pushing” and asked her to “give a solution”.
“The auntie really tried,” Ms Low recounted. “She suggested a few alternatives. She even offered to lend them a cup to use first and return after they were done. But still not happy. Still insisted on the free paper cups.”
Ms Low also criticised the customer’s behaviour.
“Service staff are human too. Being polite costs nothing. But being entitled really shows everything.”
‘Self-entitled’
Speaking to Stomp, Ms Low said the incident happened at the outlet located at Block 644 Hougang Avenue 8 at around midnight on May 23.
The 41-year-old private ambulance driver said the woman was already arguing with the employee when she entered the store.
Although she heard the man speaking occasionally, Ms Low said the woman mainly led the confrontation.
According to her, the pair did not buy anything from the store and had supposedly left once before returning to demand for paper cups.
When Ms Low left about 10 minutes later, the dispute was still ongoing.
“The thing that shocked me was she has the audacity to ask a higher-up to talk to her and give her three cups,” she said. “How self-entitled can she be?”
Shop doesn’t sell empty cups: manager
When Stomp visited the outlet on the afternoon of May 25, the manager declined to comment on the incident but confirmed that individual empty cups are not for sale.
Customers may instead purchase a $1.50 cup of ice meant for the store’s coffee beverages.
Other beverage cup options available for sale included Slurpee cups in three sizes priced between $1.80 and $2.60, as well as coffee cups costing between $2.20 and $2.90.
Stomp has reached out to 7-Eleven for comment.
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