Customer throws chicken at Bedok stallholder as they haggle over $2 serving

Patrons' dinner at a coffee shop in Bedok was interrupted when a man started hurling profanities and throwing a plate of chicken at a stallholder.

The incident occurred at the Hong Shi Chicken Rice stall on Wednesday (May 5) evening.

In CCTV footage posted on the stall's Facebook page, a man in a black t-shirt was seen speaking to the stallholder and then gesturing repeatedly as he became agitated.

As they continued to converse, the customer picked up a tray and threw it onto the floor. The customer then flung a plate of chicken at the vendor before storming off.

"Want to buy $2 chicken but minimum is $3, like that can throw at us? [sic]" the stallholder said in the Facebook post.

The video was viewed over 177,000 times, garnering over 400 comments with some netizens praising the stall owner for keeping his cool during the incident and others criticising the customer's actions.

However, several netizens felt both men were at fault. One wrote: "The customer is definitely in the wrong but the seller can be more flexible since he already bought $8 chicken."

In a copy of the police report shared by the chicken rice stall, the stallholder said that the customer purchased an $8 plate of chicken rice and returned 10 to 15 minutes later to ask for an additional $2 serving of chicken.

He became upset when told that according to company policy, the minimum price for a serving of chicken was $3.

"I still prepared the $3 serving of additional chicken and placed it on the serving area. He told me that if he could not finish the food, I will have to eat it," the stallholder said.

"I then said that I am not an animal and I do not want to eat leftovers," he added.

This response upset the customer who began to hurl obscenities and insult the stallholder's mother.

While two men who were waiting in line tried to calm the upset man, he continued to throw the plate of chicken at the stallholder before he left.

ALSO READ: 'He aimed for my head': Man, 33, arrested for attacking woman with knife in Bukit Batok coffee shop

alexanderkt@asiaone.com