Woman berates Clementi restaurant staff for speaking in Mandarin, refuses to pay for meal
The enraged customer berated a staff member at a restaurant in Clementi for speaking to her in Mandarin.
PHOTO: Screengrab/Facebook/Stomp
PUBLISHED ONFebruary 09, 2025 3:50 AMByBhavya RawatA dissatisfied customer lost her temper at the staff of a restaurant in Clementi after he supposedly spoke to her in Mandarin.
Videos of the incident which occurred at the Sushi Express outlet in The Clementi Mall about 6pm on Thursday (Feb 6) were shared by another customer, only known as Kirsten, to Stomp.
In one of the videos, the customer can be heard telling an employee at the payment counter: "I don't want to talk to you. Please call your manager."
This prompts the employee to comment negatively on the woman's attitude as she walks off.
In another video, the same employee can be heard telling the woman in Mandarin: "You suddenly screamed and shouted, saying I thought you were Chinese."
The woman then turns to a different member of staff and says: "You see this kind of attitude. Is this the way [to speak when] being in the service line?"
A third video shows the woman gesturing wildly while threatening to call the police to "dig out [the] CCTV (footage)".
"It's okay. I can waste your time," she adds.
She can also be seen repeatedly pointing at the service staff while saying that the "customer's priority" should come first.
According to Kirsten, the woman in question had become visibly upset when a service staff greeted her in Mandarin while leading her to her seat.
"Her voice was harsh, rude, and overpowering as she scolded him for assuming she was Chinese," she said.
"As the commotion intensified, [the woman] took it a step further, angrily declaring that she would not pay for her meal, claiming the service was 'unacceptable'."
Kirsten added that some customers who witnessed the scene seemed annoyed and frustrated by the woman's outburst.
She also said that the woman did not back down until two mall security guards arrived.
"Their presence seemed to momentarily startle the woman and she begrudgingly settled her bill before storming off."
Responding to AsiaOne's queries, a Sushi Express representative said on Monday (Feb 10) that the company is aware of the incident.
"We have spoken to the staff involved and will be providing additional training on handling difficult interactions, including communication and body language," the spokesperson said.
"We remain committed to providing a welcoming dining experience while fostering a respectful environment for both our customers and staff. "
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