SINGAPORE: A video posted on TikTok showing a heated encounter between a hawker and a customer at Lau Pa Sat has gone viral, racking up more than 758,000 views and sparking a lively debate about service standards and fault in a simple satay mix-up.
The short clip was shared by TikTok user @izamo69, who goes by Isabelle. She and her friends were at the iconic food centre to grab satay when the incident unfolded. In her video caption, she wrote: “Average Singapore service: Auntie gave us the wrong satay, then screamed like we messed up. I’m traumatised now.” She also added, “First and last time I went to Lau Pa Sat.”
The video shows a clearly frustrated hawker raising her voice: “I asked you to wait there, I never asked you to take,” she is heard saying off-camera. Isabelle, looking caught off guard, stands silently as the woman continues to scold her.
@izamo69 First and last time I went to Lau Pa Sat 💀🙏 #laupasat #singapore #auntie #chillbro #satay ♬ som original – Trap Music Fun
While the exact sequence of events remains a little murky, it appears Isabelle may have mistakenly taken someone else’s order, thinking it was hers.
The online reaction came quickly, and the opinions were split.
Some sided with the hawker, arguing that the customer likely picked up the wrong food. “From what I hear, she said she told you to wait, and you took the wrong order, which doesn’t belong to you,” one user commented. Another added, “You took the wrong one and you blame her???”
Others were more critical of the hawker’s tone. “No excuse for the way she shouted,” one commenter wrote, while another added, “Yeah lah, but the makcik quite rude leh.”
A few users were more concerned with avoiding a similar experience themselves. “Which stall?” one asked. “I’ll be skipping that one next time.”
Some also urged empathy, pointing out the challenges faced by older hawkers during busy hours. “It sucks to be shouted at,” one person wrote, “but they’ve probably been doing this for years without a break. I try to give them grace.”