"Please keep your water bottle in your bag," a friendly coffee stall assistant told me while I was enjoying my meal at 3838 Eating Place along Queen Street.

Queen Street coffee shop

After reading a Shin Min Daily News article about a diner's complaint, I decided to head down to the coffee shop on Jul. 13, 2023.

I wanted to find out if it was true that the coffeeshop stops their diners from drinking water from their bottles and insisted they keep their bottles away from the tables.

When I entered the coffee shop in the afternoon, I noticed several signs plastered on the walls, reminding diners that no outside food and drinks are allowed within the premises.

Diners told to keep bottles

I observed several coffee stall assistants making their rounds, meandering through tables and asking diners if they wanted to place their drink orders.

A table with two diners behind me caught an elderly coffee stall assistant's attention, but not because they wanted to order drinks.

Instead, it was an innocuous-looking bottle that had made her stop at their table.

She advised the two diners to remove the bottle from the table and keep it in their bags, explaining that it was the coffee shop's policy. That's before asking them if they wanted to order drinks.

The puzzled-looking diners declined. After she left their table, she beelined for my table.

Stall assistants were firm, but polite

The coffee stall assistant immediately zoned in on my bottle and launched into the same spiel she gave the other table.

I asked her if I could leave my water bottle on the table if I did not drink from it.

She answered with a definitive "no" and, upon prodding, reiterated the coffee shop's policy – no outside food and drinks.

Even after I reassured her that it was just water and promised her I would not drink from my bottle, she was adamant I keep my bottle.

A second coffee stall assistant overheard our conversation and stepped in, repeating whatever her colleague had said earlier.

To their credit, both coffee stall assistants were polite and even seemed a little apologetic during the process.

Stall assistants were firm but polite

I eventually kept my bottle to not inconvenience them any longer.

After they walked away from my table, a male diner I was sharing the table with commented that he found the coffee shop's policy strange.

While he agreed diners should not consume food and drinks purchased from other places within a food and beverage establishment, he said the policy should not apply to drinking from personal water bottles.

He felt that water bottles usually contain plain water, which is generally not bought from another establishment and does not directly compete with a coffee stall's offerings.

Diners allowed to drink water

After my meal, I spoke to the coffee stall's lady boss, Claire Chua.

She clarified that diners are allowed to drink water from their bottles within the coffee shop's premises, unlike the female diner's claims.

However, she hopes diners would refrain from putting their bottles on the tables as this might make them not want to order drinks.

Chua said it is bad for business but quickly added that she has to incur more overheads, unlike hawker centres.

A matter of respect

She also felt that it's a matter of respect, "If people do not bring outside food to restaurants, why can't they do the same for coffee shops?"

Chua said disallowing food and drinks from elsewhere policy is not uncommon.

The coffee shop right beside 3838 Eating Place also had similar signs to remind diners not to bring outside food and drinks, albeit not as plentiful.

What perhaps sets 3838 Eating Place apart from others, however, is its strict enforcement of the policy.

Chua explained that her employees have been trained to tell diners to keep their water bottles and claimed that this has been the coffee shop's way for "donkey years".

Owner think its fair

She said she understands that some diners prefer drinking plain water.

At 3838 Eating Place, diners can purchase a glass of hot water for S$0.50 or a bigger glass of water with ice cubes for S$0.80.

However, Chua said diners are not forced to buy water, or any drinks, from her stall.

She stood by her policy and said, "I think I'm not wrong... I think it's fair."

Top image by Fiona Tan