Self-service please: This eatery in Malaysia lets customers pack and pay for their own meals

A man in Malaysia was baffled after he chanced upon an eatery that had neither a signboard nor any employees. 

The diner, who goes by the username Jejakawangi, took to TikTok on Jan 5 to share his discovery in Puchong, Selangor. 

There were various dishes on display like what one'd encounter at a nasi padang stall, except that customers here had to help themselves to the food. 

"The most unique thing is that everything here is self-service. I'm the one who takes the side dishes, I'm the one who packs it, I'm the one who puts in the money and takes the tray," he said.

Besides a price list on the wall, there was a notice asking customers to calculate the price of their meals and make payment at an unlocked cash box by themselves.

"Is this store not afraid of people stealing?" Jejakawangi asked. 

The considerate eatery owner even provided a phone number for customers to call if they were unsure of the price of their meal.

"I don't know the name of the shop. No signboard, no shop name, nothing! But there are also lots of people," Jejakawangi said. 

Owner might be an introvert, some suggest

The TikTok video went viral, garnering 790,000 views and 713 comments at the time of writing.

Many online praised the eatery owner for having trust in his customers while others said that the owner could be an introvert. 

 

A netizen said that the eatery used to offer dine-in services but it later became a self-service store due to staff shortage.

Responding to the comments, Jejakawangi shared that it was his first time visiting a self-service eatery in Malaysia.

"When I was counting the change to take from the petty cash box, I felt like I was in the wrong because I was afraid to take too much. So, I immediately took less," he said.

However, some pointed out that such eateries are quite common in Malaysia.

When contacted by Malay Mail, the owner of the eatery declined to be interviewed, adding that he didn't know that his establishment had gone viral online.

ALSO READ: 'The trust is unreal': Self-service thrift store in Bugis has no staff, concept piques curiosity

ashwini.balan@asiaone.com