CJMY
Kopitiam (coffee shops) is a prominent feature of Malaysian culture, particularly in the northern state of Penang, where visitors can savour a blend of traditional and contemporary delicacies at cafes and restaurants.
However, recently, one tourist was caught off-guard by a local practice of requiring customers to order a drink to sit and enjoy their food. This sparked a heated discussion on social media about the practice in Penang’s kopitiam.
Forced to buy drinks
Reddit user @Isuckatmathsbro shared his frustration in a post titled “Cafes forcing me to buy drinks in Penang,” narrating his experience of being compelled to purchase beverages or pay a fee to sit down and enjoy his meal.
The perplexed tourist highlighted that the absence of sugar-free drinks left him with no choice but to pay for a drink he did not want. Many other users empathised with the tourist, explaining that it is a prevalent practice in Penang kopitiams.
According to a Reddit user, @globetrotter1000G, most kopitiams in Penang rent out space inside their shops to other people to run a stall and sell food. The shop owners usually run the drink stalls and rely on the sale of beverages to increase their profit margin.
They do not make any money from the sale of food alone, which is why they require customers to buy a drink to make a profit. This is a common practice in Penang, but some Malaysians who are not Penangites have also been forced to pay the same fee.
As explained by @globetrotter1000G, if customers wish to purchase sugar-free drinks, they can request a “kosong” option for coffee, tea, and milo, which means no sugar will be added.
However, some coffeehouses in Penang display signs demanding that customers order a drink if they want to have a seat. Customers who are under budget can consider ordering plain water, but the shops may serve bottled mineral water to make extra profit.
Not the first controversy for Penang Kopitiam
On 20th March, China Press reported that the owner of Seng Thor Coffee Shop in George Town called out a patron for being difficult on Facebook and chastised him for not paying the minimum price to eat there. The patron refused to order a drink and refused to pay the RM1 fee.
The owner claimed that there were clear signs around the shop, informing customers of the rule. The Facebook post backfired, as netizens criticised the coffee shop owner for shaming a customer online. The owner later apologised for the post, admitting that he was quick to anger, and agreed that putting the customer’s photo on social media was wrong.
According to a report by The Star in 2022, Micah Ooi, the 37-year-old owner of a coffee shop in Penang, used to be lenient with customers who occupied tables without purchasing any drinks.
However, he soon found that many patrons would order food from the hawker stalls but not order any drinks, which led him to put up a sign informing such customers that they must pay a fee of 50 sen per person if they don’t order drinks.
Ooi said that he felt it was reasonable for customers to order at least something, especially since many of these individuals were tourists.
Frustrated, Ooi decided to put up a sign telling those who don’t order drinks that they must pay a 50sen fee per person. He believes that customers should at least order something to help support local businesses.
While some believe it is a justifiable practice for shop owners to make a profit, others think it is an unfair practice that exploits customers. It might be an unpleasant experience for some tourists, but others see it as a unique part of Penang’s culture that should be embraced.
Citizen’s Journal has contacted Reddit user @Isuckatmathsbro and is currently awaiting clarification.
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C. Khor
