Japanese eatery that lost S$1,600 after diners ran without paying during quake says their safety more important

On Mar. 28, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, causing tremors to be felt in neighbouring cities in southern China and Thailand.

As a result, Zen Japanese Restaurant, an eatery in Bangkok, allegedly suffered a loss of around 40,000 baht (S$1,580) after 26 tables of diners evacuated the restaurant amidst the tremors without returning to pay for their meals.

In response, the restaurant stated that the safety of its employees and customers is more important and conveyed its well wishes to those affected by the earthquake.

Zen also announced that it had donated over 20 boxes of yakisoba and water to aid ongoing relief efforts.

Unfinished meals caught on camera

Zen made headlines in Thailand on Mar. 29 morning after a Facebook user walked past the restaurant and posted a photo showing several unfinished meals on its tables.

According to the Facebook user, although they visited Zen around two hours after the tremors, a staff member at the restaurant said none of the evacuated diners returned to make payments.

In the comments section, several commenters expressed their hope for the customers to pay their bills, citing that the earthquake also made it difficult for the restaurant to run its business.

Restaurant's response

In response, Zen shared in a Facebook post on Mar. 29 afternoon that it "wants to be a part of taking care of all customers".

Emphasising the safety of its employees and customers is its "utmost priority", the restaurant said that it hoped everyone could stay safe following the earthquake and thanked its supporters for their trust.

In the comments section of its post, Zen also uploaded a screenshot of its response to Thai media Khaosod, which covered the restaurant's predicament.

The statement read: "It's okay. The safety of our staff and customers is more important. We are happy to take care of our customers, and we are sending all our concerns to everyone."

On Saturday evening, Zen announced that all stores affiliated with its parent company, Zen Group, had re-opened for business after completing safety checks at the premises.

"We are ready to take care and provide services safely to give all our customers peace of mind," wrote the restaurant.

Top images via หนึ่งอร่อยดี & Zen Japanese Restaurant/Facebook