Diner tries to drink water from own bottle in Bugis coffee shop, gets stopped by staff

While some coffee shop staff would usually turn a blind eye to diners bringing in their own drinks, you can't expect the same leniency in this establishment.

A diner, surnamed Chen, shared with Shin Min Daily News that she was eating at a coffee shop along Queen Street at Bugis on Monday (July 10) and tried to drink from her own water bottle, but a staff member discouraged her.

"I know you're not allowed to bring your own drinks to coffee shops, but this is plain water," Chen, 62, said to the Chinese daily.

"I've visited this coffee shop several times and this is the first time I've encountered such a situation."

She explained that she was trying to take medicine for her ailments and wanted to wash it down with water from her bottle when a staff from the coffee shop approached her to warn her against doing so.

Speaking with Shin Min, an employee at the coffee shop explained that this prohibition has always existed, and if customers bring their own bottles, staff would at least remind them not to place them on the table.

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They added: "We're always polite and pleasant, but sometimes we do encounter some unhappy customers."

The coffee shop was filled with multiple signs prohibiting outside food and drinks when a reporter visited, the Chinese daily wrote.

The coffee shop's owner, surnamed Lee, also gave some context to the regulations she's imposed.

She shared that the shop isn't a hawker centre but is instead privately owned, so the burden of rent and labour costs rests on their shoulders.

Lee added: "If we really consider what plain water is, it's a form of drink brought from outside.

"But at that moment, it's possible that staff only saw the bottle [but not its contents] and tried to remind the customer without understanding the situation, so the latter became dissatisfied."

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Should any customers need to take medicine after their meals, they can ask for plain water from the coffee shop as well and she would be willing to give it for free, Lee mentioned.

Furthermore, if guests had already purchased their own drinks, staff would allow them to drink their own water too.

Although Chen wasn't too pleased with Lee's strict enforcement of the regulations, other diners expressed understanding towards the latter's requirements.

After Covid-19 took its toll on the food and beverage sector, the costs of running a business have been made more apparent, a diner surnamed Yi explained to the Chinese publication.

Because of that, it's understandable that the industry has set these regulations, and that customers who need to drink to take medication should do so discreetly and put away the bottle when done, instead of placing it on the table, Yi added.

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khooyihang@asiaone.com