SINGAPORE: After some diners appeared to have less than pleasant experiences at a Teppanyaki hawker stall, its owner issued an apology over social media that left readers appreciative of its sincerity and thoughtfulness.
“Chef Chris”, who owns and operates Teppan-Man, posted his apology on Facebook earlier this week, acknowledging that he was aware that diners had left reviews on Google concerning their “difficult experiences” with one of the stall’s cashiers.
He wrote that some reviews mentioned how dissatisfied they had been, and some even said they may not patronize the stall any longer.
“I want to address this openly and with empathy,” he wrote, adding that the staff involved will be leaving Teppan-Man soon.
He also wrote, “It’s not always possible to fully understand someone’s emotional intelligence or cognitive abilities until we’ve worked closely with them.”
The stall owner said that he felt a moral obligation to make sure that the cashier would continue to have a steady source of income for the moment, especially when taking his personal circumstances into consideration.
Explaining that the cashier has had to face substantial challenges to his health, Chef Chris also wrote that he paid for the cashier’s surgical bills at Alexandra Hospital.
“I hope we can approach this situation with kindness and understanding, forgiving any shortcomings. This is an opportunity for us to embody compassion and support during a difficult time.”
The owner took responsibility for allowing the cashier to work with the company for a longer period than what may have been wise and added that he understood how this caused some diners to feel frustrated or disappointed.
Apologizing for this, Chef Chris added that he had done this in order to “balance compassion with responsibility”.
A quick search online shows that Teppan-man has generally received good reviews, with customers expressing satisfaction with the quality and price points of its dishes.
However, in a recent Google review, one man wrote about a “very rude service guy…absolutely very rude”. The reviewer, who said he used to be a frequent Teppan-Man customer, added that he was “utterly disappointed” and that the staff had rudely rejected the CDC voucher he tried to use for payment.
Many customers, however, took the time to express their appreciation for Chef Chris’ heartfelt post. They commanded him for his compassion for the cashier and high “EQ” (emotional quotient) with how he handled the situation.
“A well-written apology to his affected customers. Not easy to find workers in the F&B industry. I’m sure he’s a good employer who will reward his workers for their good service and performance. Kudos! Jia Yu!” one commenter wrote. /TISG