Singapore – A member of the public failed to reserve a seat even after leaving a “This seat is choped” card on the table. The online community joined in to highlight the difficulties faced by those dining along in reserving a spot.
On Mon (Nov 9), Facebook user Jadon Goh took to Complaint Singapore‘s page to share his experience with trying to grab a seat when dining alone. “People never read or they don’t know what that means?” he asked, referring to the printed out red card with the message, “This seat is choped.” Chope is the term used when reserving a seat in a fast-food restaurant or establishment by using items like a packet of tissue as a symbol of the reservation.
“Even if I chope my seat with this (the card), my seat always taken by other people when I go order the food. Lucky those people are reasonable; if not, we had to quarrel,” said Mr Goh.
With over 174 comments to date, members from the online community began discussing the troubles single-person diners face when trying to reserve a seat.
Those dining alone often don’t take too long to eat, many noted in response to those who highlighted that to chope was to deprive a seat for someone who has purchased their meal.
Others suggested for the sign to be printed larger, perhaps in A3 size so that others could see. Some advised Mr Goh to use tissue packets instead, as this approach was “more understood” as the chope method.
“The right and wrong, judge or be judged, to chope or not to chope – those that have been here long enough understand that it’s really not easy to secure a seat during lunch or dinner especially when alone,” Facebook user Myke Muk K C explained. “Imagine having to walk around with a tray of food hunting for a seat. A lot of us just needs to have a quick meal and go back to the office,” he added.
The concerned citizen noted that a group of diners leaving one person at the table to reserve the spot was the same thing. “Isn’t that also chope?” he asked. “So people who go as a group have the advantage whereas the lone diner suffers. So there really is no right or wrong to it. It’s a strategy.”
Read related: Rude clay pot rice hawker draws netizens ire